Precious Metal 90Ag-10Ni
ASTM B427
90Ag-10Ni is a high-silver silver–nickel contact composite to ASTM B427, with 10% nickel dispersed in silver to limit arc erosion while keeping contact resistance low.
Reference datasheet — 90Ag-10Ni is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
Values for the O condition
90Ag-10Ni tempers and conditions
90Ag-10Ni is supplied in 5 conditions, soft to hard. O is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 5 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ODefault Annealed | Default stock condition for stamped rivets, buttons and clad strip where maximum ductility and lowest resistivity are wanted. | 75 | 235 | 30 | 50 HB | 86 % IACS |
Quarter hard | Light cold work for stamped contact tips that need a little more stiffness while still bending or riveting without cracking. | 200 | 275 | 12 | 67 HB | 85 % IACS |
Half hard | Balanced strength/ductility temper for progressive-die contact parts and profiled strip. | 265 | 310 | 6 | 45 HRB | 85 % IACS |
Full hard | Maximum standard cold-worked strength for wear-resistant contact rivets and sliding contacts; very limited bending. | 320 | 355 | 3 | 57 HRB | 84 % IACS |
Spring hard | Spring-hard strip/wire for self-sprung contact blades and moving contact arms that must supply their own contact force. | 420 | 480 | 2 | 118 HB | 85 % IACS |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways 90Ag-10Ni is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
AS-EXT | As-sintered / as-extruded | Surface finish |
What is 90Ag-10Ni?
90Ag-10Ni is a high-silver silver–nickel contact composite to ASTM B427, with 10% nickel dispersed in silver to limit arc erosion while keeping contact resistance low. Its 86% IACS electrical conductivity and 340 W/m·K thermal conductivity make it the choice for medium-duty switching, and it is supplied as press-sinter-extrude or co-extruded strip, wire, rivets and clad strip in O through H08 and AS-EXT conditions. Strength is modest (75 MPa yield, 235 MPa tensile, 50 HB) and service is capped at 250 °C; the bulk alloy is not fusion welded. For heavier arcing duty, step up to 85Ag-15Ni or 70Ag-30Ni. 90Ag-10Ni has a density of 10.3 g/cm³ (0.372 lb/in³), lighter than 54% of precious metal grades. It melts at 960°C (1,760 °F). 90Ag-10Ni has a yield strength of 75 MPa (10.9 ksi) and a tensile strength of 235 MPa (34.1 ksi) — weaker than 89% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 30% and the elastic modulus is 88 GPa (12.8 Msi).
What is 90Ag-10Ni used for?
- low-voltage switches
- relays
- thermostats
Advantages
- High electrical conductivity — 86 % IACS, better than 90% of precious metal grades
- Conducts heat well — 340 W/m·K (196.4 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 86% of precious metal grades
Limitations
- Low strength — 75 MPa (10.9 ksi), worse than 89% of precious metal grades
90Ag-10Ni properties
Typical room-temperature values for 90Ag-10Ni-O; bars are the position among precious metal grades.
Physical3
90Ag-10Ni has a density of 10.3 g/cm³ (0.372 lb/in³), lighter than 54% of precious metal grades. It melts at 960°C (1,760 °F).
Mechanical12
90Ag-10Ni has a yield strength of 75 MPa (10.9 ksi) and a tensile strength of 235 MPa (34.1 ksi) — weaker than 89% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 30% and the elastic modulus is 88 GPa (12.8 Msi).
Thermal6
90Ag-10Ni is rated for continuous service to 250°C (482 °F). It conducts heat at 340 W/m·K (196.4 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 86% of precious metal grades. Thermal expansion is 19 µm/m·K (10.6 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
90Ag-10Ni conducts electricity at 86 % IACS, better than 90% of precious metal grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is excellent (85/100), better than 61% of precious metal grades.
Sustainability3
Producing a kilogram of 90Ag-10Ni takes about 1,400 MJ of energy and emits 130 kg of CO₂ — less than 57% of precious metal grades. Typical recycled content is 50%.
Manufacturability7
90Ag-10Ni's machinability is fair (45/100, better than 59% of precious metal grades); weldability fair (45/100); formability excellent (90/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the precious metal family
Yield strength against density for every precious metal grade FabDigit runs. 90Ag-10Ni is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with 90Ag-10Ni
Is 90Ag-10Ni easy to machine?
Machines like fine silver — gummy with strong built-up edge; use sharp polished-flute carbide tools, high speed, light feed and generous coolant, and collect all swarf for refining.
Can 90Ag-10Ni be welded?
Not fusion welded; contact tips are resistance/projection welded or brazed with Ag-Cu-Zn or Ag-Cu-P fillers onto Cu or brass carriers, or supplied as Ag-Ni/Ag clad strip.
Can 90Ag-10Ni be formed, bent or molded?
Made by powder metallurgy (press-sinter-extrude) or internal-oxidation-free co-extrusion, then drawn/rolled; annealed material stamps, deep draws and cold-heads well, hard tempers need generous bend radii and interstage anneals around 550–650 °C.
90Ag-10Ni chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| Nifinely dispersed, insoluble in Ag | 9 – 11 | 10 |
| Other, totalimpurities (Cu, Fe, Pb, Bi) per contact-material specs | ≤ 0.15 | 0.05 |
| Ag≥ 89.5 % typical, balance | balance |
What surface finishes work on 90Ag-10Ni?
No anodizing; usually used bare or with a thin Ag or Au flash on the mating face, and lightly polished/burnished — protect finished contacts from sulphur atmospheres to avoid tarnish.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Precious Metal 90Ag-10Ni in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- ASTM
- B427
- Also called
- AgNi10
How much does 90Ag-10Ni cost?
90Ag-10Ni is a high-cost precious metal ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
90Ag-10Ni — frequently asked
What is 90Ag-10Ni used for?
90Ag-10Ni is typically used for low-voltage switches, relays and thermostats. In short: highest conductivity Ag-Ni grade; lowest contact resistance in family; most formable Ag-Ni.
What is the yield strength of 90Ag-10Ni?
90Ag-10Ni has a typical yield strength of 75 MPa (10.9 ksi) and a tensile strength of 235 MPa (34.1 ksi) — weaker than 89% of precious metal grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 5 listed tempers.
Is 90Ag-10Ni easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated fair (45/100, better than 59% of precious metal grades). Machines like fine silver — gummy with strong built-up edge; use sharp polished-flute carbide tools, high speed, light feed and generous coolant, and collect all swarf for refining.
Can 90Ag-10Ni be welded?
With care — weldability is rated fair (45/100). Not fusion welded; contact tips are resistance/projection welded or brazed with Ag-Cu-Zn or Ag-Cu-P fillers onto Cu or brass carriers, or supplied as Ag-Ni/Ag clad strip.
What surface finishes work on 90Ag-10Ni?
No anodizing; usually used bare or with a thin Ag or Au flash on the mating face, and lightly polished/burnished — protect finished contacts from sulphur atmospheres to avoid tarnish.
Can 90Ag-10Ni be formed, bent or molded?
Made by powder metallurgy (press-sinter-extrude) or internal-oxidation-free co-extrusion, then drawn/rolled; annealed material stamps, deep draws and cold-heads well, hard tempers need generous bend radii and interstage anneals around 550–650 °C.
What is the maximum service temperature of 90Ag-10Ni?
90Ag-10Ni is rated for continuous use to about 250°C (482 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between 90Ag-10Ni-O and 90Ag-10Ni-H08?
O is the default condition — default stock condition for stamped rivets, buttons and clad strip where maximum ductility and lowest resistivity are wanted. H08: spring-hard strip/wire for self-sprung contact blades and moving contact arms that must supply their own contact force. Yield strength is 75 MPa in O versus 420 MPa in H08.
How much does 90Ag-10Ni cost?
90Ag-10Ni is a high-cost precious metal ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- ASTM B427 — Silver-Nickel Electrical Contact Material — ASTM International (2020)
- Doduco Data Book of Electrical Contacts — Doduco / Stefan Hesse (2012)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 2 — Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys and Special-Purpose Materials — ASM International (1990)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 13B — Corrosion: Materials — ASM International (2005)
- Silver-nickel contact material technical data (AgNi10) — electrical contact material producers (2023)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.