Precious Metal B522 Class II
ASTM B522 Class II
ASTM B522 Class II is a second composition variant of the gold-silver-platinum contact alloy, supplied annealed, 1/2H, H and spring temper, with about 90 HB and 88 GPa modulus in the reference condition.
Reference datasheet — B522 Class II 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 ANN condition
B522 Class II tempers and conditions
B522 Class II is supplied in 4 conditions, soft to hard. ANN is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 4 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ANNDefault Annealed | Choose for stamping, deep drawing, wire drawing, clad-strip bonding and any part that is formed before final use. | 180 | 390 | 30 | 90 HB | 8 % IACS |
Half hard | Intermediate condition when a part must still be lightly bent but needs more contact-force stability than soft strip. | 420 | 560 | 10 | 155 HV | 7.8 % IACS |
Hardened | Choose for sliding/wiping contacts, brush wire and spring fingers where wear resistance and stable contact force matter more than formability. | 620 | 720 | 3 | 200 HB | 7.5 % IACS |
Spring temper | Maximum-strength drawn wire for instrument brushes, slip-ring wipers and low-force spring contacts. | 740 | 830 | 2 | 21 HRC | 7.4 % IACS |
What is B522 Class II?
ASTM B522 Class II is a second composition variant of the gold-silver-platinum contact alloy, supplied annealed, 1/2H, H and spring temper, with about 90 HB and 88 GPa modulus in the reference condition. It is selected when sliding and wiping contacts need a harder, more wear-resistant surface than Class I, and is supplied as strip, wire, clad strip and coined rivets. Electrical conductivity is 8% IACS, thermal conductivity 50 W/m·K and maximum service temperature about 400 °C. Class I remains the choice where the lowest contact resistance matters more than wear life. B522 Class II has a density of 16 g/cm³ (0.578 lb/in³), heavier than 84% of precious metal grades. It melts at 1,035°C (1,895 °F). B522 Class II has a yield strength of 180 MPa (26.1 ksi) and a tensile strength of 390 MPa (56.6 ksi) — weaker than 59% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 30% and the elastic modulus is 88 GPa (12.8 Msi).
What is B522 Class II used for?
- slip rings
- wiper contacts
- precision switches
Advantages
- Good corrosion resistance — 97/100, better than 88% of precious metal grades
Limitations
- Low electrical conductivity — 8 % IACS, worse than 86% of precious metal grades
- Heavy — 16 g/cm³ (0.578 lb/in³), worse than 84% of precious metal grades
- Poor heat conductor — 50 W/m·K (28.9 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 79% of precious metal grades
- High embodied carbon — 12,000 kg CO₂/kg, worse than 76% of precious metal grades
B522 Class II properties
Typical room-temperature values for B522 Class II-ANN; bars are the position among precious metal grades.
Physical3
B522 Class II has a density of 16 g/cm³ (0.578 lb/in³), heavier than 84% of precious metal grades. It melts at 1,035°C (1,895 °F).
Mechanical12
B522 Class II has a yield strength of 180 MPa (26.1 ksi) and a tensile strength of 390 MPa (56.6 ksi) — weaker than 59% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 30% and the elastic modulus is 88 GPa (12.8 Msi).
Thermal6
B522 Class II is rated for continuous service to 400°C (752 °F). It conducts heat at 50 W/m·K (28.9 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 79% of precious metal grades. Thermal expansion is 15 µm/m·K (8.33 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
B522 Class II conducts electricity at 8 % IACS, worse than 86% of precious metal grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is excellent (97/100), better than 88% of precious metal grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of B522 Class II takes about 180,000 MJ of energy and emits 12,000 kg of CO₂ — more than 77% of precious metal grades. Typical recycled content is 85%.
Manufacturability7
B522 Class II's machinability is fair (40/100, worse than 60% of precious metal grades); weldability good (60/100); 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. B522 Class II is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with B522 Class II
Is B522 Class II easy to machine?
Gummy and smearing — use very sharp polished-flute carbide or diamond tooling, light depth of cut, high speed and generous coolant; capture all chips and swarf for refining.
Can B522 Class II be welded?
Joined by resistance, laser or micro-TIG welding and by brazing of contact rivets/clad strip; conventional arc welding is not used and any base-metal contamination degrades contact performance.
Can B522 Class II be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent cold formability in the annealed state — rolls, draws, coins and deep-draws readily; interanneal roughly every 50–70 % reduction at about 600–700 °C in a clean atmosphere.
B522 Class II 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 |
|---|---|---|
| AgClass II silver content; verify against current ASTM B522 revision | 24 – 26 | 25 |
| Ptplatinum addition for hardness and arc/wear resistance | 5.5 – 6.5 | 6 |
| Augold balance; total noble metal content essentially 100 %, base-metal impurities held to trace levels | balance | — |
What surface finishes work on B522 Class II?
Requires no protective plating — the natural non-tarnishing surface is the contact surface; burnish or lightly polish only, avoid abrasive media that can embed particles in the soft matrix.
How much does B522 Class II cost?
B522 Class II 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.
B522 Class II — frequently asked
What is B522 Class II used for?
B522 Class II is typically used for slip rings, wiper contacts and precision switches. In short: harder wiping-contact variant; better wear than Class I; non-tarnishing sliding surface.
What is the yield strength of B522 Class II?
B522 Class II has a typical yield strength of 180 MPa (26.1 ksi) and a tensile strength of 390 MPa (56.6 ksi) — weaker than 59% of precious metal grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 4 listed tempers.
Is B522 Class II easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated fair (40/100, worse than 60% of precious metal grades). Gummy and smearing — use very sharp polished-flute carbide or diamond tooling, light depth of cut, high speed and generous coolant; capture all chips and swarf for refining.
Can B522 Class II be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated good (60/100). Joined by resistance, laser or micro-TIG welding and by brazing of contact rivets/clad strip; conventional arc welding is not used and any base-metal contamination degrades contact performance.
What surface finishes work on B522 Class II?
Requires no protective plating — the natural non-tarnishing surface is the contact surface; burnish or lightly polish only, avoid abrasive media that can embed particles in the soft matrix.
Can B522 Class II be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent cold formability in the annealed state — rolls, draws, coins and deep-draws readily; interanneal roughly every 50–70 % reduction at about 600–700 °C in a clean atmosphere.
What is the maximum service temperature of B522 Class II?
B522 Class II is rated for continuous use to about 400°C (752 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between B522 Class II-ANN and B522 Class II-SPR?
ANN is the default condition — choose for stamping, deep drawing, wire drawing, clad-strip bonding and any part that is formed before final use. SPR: maximum-strength drawn wire for instrument brushes, slip-ring wipers and low-force spring contacts. Yield strength is 180 MPa in ANN versus 740 MPa in SPR.
How much does B522 Class II cost?
B522 Class II 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 B522 — Standard Specification for Gold-Silver-Platinum Electrical Contact Alloy — ASTM International (2020)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 2 — Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys and Special-Purpose Materials (Precious Metals and Electrical Contact Materials) — ASM International (1990)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 3 — Alloy Phase Diagrams (Au-Ag-Pt system) — ASM International (1992)
- Precious-metal electrical contact alloy strip and wire datasheets — Specialty precious-metal refiners/fabricators (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.