Precious Metal AWS BVPd-1
UNS P03657
AWS BVPd-1 (UNS P03657) is a palladium-bearing vacuum-grade brazing filler metal classified under AWS A5.8, used flux-free to join precious-metal electrical contact assemblies in vacuum or dry hydrogen furnaces.
Reference datasheet — AWS BVPd-1 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 BR condition
AWS BVPd-1 tempers and conditions
AWS BVPd-1 is supplied in 3 conditions, soft to hard. BR is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 3 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Annealed | Softest supplied wire condition — pick for hand-fed face feeding and for forming rings/preforms. | 250 | 600 | 20 | 166 HB | 5 % IACS |
BRDefault As Brazed | Default condition: the solidified filler in a finished vacuum-brazed joint, brazing at 1240–1290 °C. | 380 | 620 | 15 | 190 HB | 5.5 % IACS |
Cold drawn | Stiff drawn wire for automatic wire feeders and self-supporting preform legs; lower ductility. | 900 | 1,000 | 3 | 30 HRC | 4.5 % IACS |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways AWS BVPd-1 is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
FOIL | Rolled foil / ribbon | Supply form |
PREFORM | Stamped / formed preform | Supply form |
PASTE | Brazing paste | Printing process |
POWDER | Atomised powder | Printing process |
What is AWS BVPd-1?
AWS BVPd-1 (UNS P03657) is a palladium-bearing vacuum-grade brazing filler metal classified under AWS A5.8, used flux-free to join precious-metal electrical contact assemblies in vacuum or dry hydrogen furnaces. It is supplied as wire, foil, preforms, powder and paste (BR, ANN, CD, FOIL, PREFORM, POWDER, PASTE) and brazes at 1240–1290 °C, producing joints with 620 MPa tensile strength, 15% elongation and service to 800 °C. It is a filler rather than structural stock, and its palladium content makes it costly compared with conventional BAg fillers. AWS BVPd-1 has a density of 10.6 g/cm³ (0.383 lb/in³), heavier than 57% of precious metal grades. It melts at 1,219°C (2,226 °F). AWS BVPd-1 has a yield strength of 380 MPa (55.1 ksi) and a tensile strength of 620 MPa (89.9 ksi) — stronger than 95% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 15% and the elastic modulus is 150 GPa (21.8 Msi).
What is AWS BVPd-1 used for?
- vacuum brazing of contact assemblies
- hermetic relay fabrication
- aerospace electrical connector brazing
Advantages
- High strength — 380 MPa (55.1 ksi), better than 95% of precious metal grades
- High service temperature — 800°C (1,472 °F), better than 90% of precious metal grades
- Stiff — 150 GPa (21.8 Msi), better than 87% of precious metal grades
Limitations
- Poor heat conductor — 22 W/m·K (12.7 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 98% of precious metal grades
- Low electrical conductivity — 5.5 % IACS, worse than 94% of precious metal grades
- Difficult to machine — 25/100, worse than 94% of precious metal grades
- Limited ductility — 15%, worse than 86% of precious metal grades
AWS BVPd-1 properties
Typical room-temperature values for AWS BVPd-1-BR; bars are the position among precious metal grades.
Physical3
AWS BVPd-1 has a density of 10.6 g/cm³ (0.383 lb/in³), heavier than 57% of precious metal grades. It melts at 1,219°C (2,226 °F).
Mechanical12
AWS BVPd-1 has a yield strength of 380 MPa (55.1 ksi) and a tensile strength of 620 MPa (89.9 ksi) — stronger than 95% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 15% and the elastic modulus is 150 GPa (21.8 Msi).
Thermal5
AWS BVPd-1 is rated for continuous service to 800°C (1,472 °F). It conducts heat at 22 W/m·K (12.7 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 98% of precious metal grades. Thermal expansion is 12.5 µm/m·K (6.94 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
AWS BVPd-1 conducts electricity at 5.5 % IACS, worse than 94% of precious metal grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is very good (78/100), worse than 56% of precious metal grades.
Sustainability3
Producing a kilogram of AWS BVPd-1 takes about 40,000 MJ of energy and emits 2,600 kg of CO₂ — more than 60% of precious metal grades. Typical recycled content is 40%.
Manufacturability2
AWS BVPd-1's machinability is poor (25/100, worse than 94% of precious metal grades).
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. AWS BVPd-1 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with AWS BVPd-1
Is AWS BVPd-1 easy to machine?
Not a structural machining stock; supplied as wire, foil, preforms or powder — trim with shears/wire cutters and recover all scrap for refining.
Can AWS BVPd-1 be welded?
Used as a filler, not a base metal: braze in vacuum (<10⁻⁴ mbar) or dry hydrogen at 1240–1290 °C with clean, oxide-free, flux-free joints and short dwell to limit cobalt/nickel diffusion.
Can AWS BVPd-1 be formed, bent or molded?
Annealed wire and foil form readily into rings and shims; hard-drawn wire needs an intermediate anneal before tight bends.
AWS BVPd-1 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Pdpalladium base of the vacuum-grade filler | 64 – 66 | 65 |
| Other (total)AWS A5.8 vacuum-grade limit on residuals; Zn, Cd, P and other high-vapour-pressure elements are excluded | ≤ 0.15 | |
| Co | balance |
What surface finishes work on AWS BVPd-1?
Joints come out bright from vacuum; no plating needed, and the noble Pd-rich fillet takes a good polish, though the cobalt fraction can darken slightly after long high-temperature air exposure.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Precious Metal AWS BVPd-1 in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- UNS
- P03657
- Other
- BVPd-1
How much does AWS BVPd-1 cost?
AWS BVPd-1 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.
AWS BVPd-1 — frequently asked
What is AWS BVPd-1 used for?
AWS BVPd-1 is typically used for vacuum brazing of contact assemblies, hermetic relay fabrication and aerospace electrical connector brazing. In short: flux-free vacuum brazing filler; joints usable to 800 °C; filler metal, not stock.
What is the yield strength of AWS BVPd-1?
AWS BVPd-1 has a typical yield strength of 380 MPa (55.1 ksi) and a tensile strength of 620 MPa (89.9 ksi) — stronger than 95% of precious metal grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 3 listed tempers.
Is AWS BVPd-1 easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (25/100, worse than 94% of precious metal grades). Not a structural machining stock; supplied as wire, foil, preforms or powder — trim with shears/wire cutters and recover all scrap for refining.
Can AWS BVPd-1 be welded?
Used as a filler, not a base metal: braze in vacuum (<10⁻⁴ mbar) or dry hydrogen at 1240–1290 °C with clean, oxide-free, flux-free joints and short dwell to limit cobalt/nickel diffusion.
What surface finishes work on AWS BVPd-1?
Joints come out bright from vacuum; no plating needed, and the noble Pd-rich fillet takes a good polish, though the cobalt fraction can darken slightly after long high-temperature air exposure.
Can AWS BVPd-1 be formed, bent or molded?
Annealed wire and foil form readily into rings and shims; hard-drawn wire needs an intermediate anneal before tight bends.
What is the maximum service temperature of AWS BVPd-1?
AWS BVPd-1 is rated for continuous use to about 800°C (1,472 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between AWS BVPd-1-BR and AWS BVPd-1-CD?
BR is the default condition — default condition: the solidified filler in a finished vacuum-brazed joint, brazing at 1240–1290 °C. CD: stiff drawn wire for automatic wire feeders and self-supporting preform legs; lower ductility. Yield strength is 380 MPa in BR versus 900 MPa in CD.
How much does AWS BVPd-1 cost?
AWS BVPd-1 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
- AWS A5.8/A5.8M — Specification for Filler Metals for Brazing and Braze Welding — American Welding Society (2019)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 6 — Welding, Brazing and Soldering (palladium brazing filler metals) — ASM International (1993)
- Wesgo Metals Palco (65Pd-35Co) brazing alloy datasheet — Morgan Advanced Materials (2021)
- Pallabraze / palladium brazing alloy range — Johnson Matthey Metal Joining (2020)
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.