Precious Metal Pd60Ag40-O (Annealed)
Temper · default condition
Standard stocked condition for stamping, deep drawing, contact rivet heading and wire drawing.
Values for the O condition
Other Pd60Ag40 tempers and conditions
Pd60Ag40 is listed in 6 conditions; see the grade overview at Pd60Ag40.
Compare all 6 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
As fabricated | Melting stock for further working, paste/powder atomization or investment-cast dental and contact parts. | 150 | 350 | 20 | 71 HB | 4.1 % IACS |
ODefaultThis page Annealed | Standard stocked condition for stamping, deep drawing, contact rivet heading and wire drawing. | 180 | 415 | 30 | 80 HB | 4.1 % IACS |
Quarter hard | Light cold work when slightly higher stiffness is needed but forming is still required. | 380 | 520 | 15 | 114 HB | 4 % IACS |
Half hard | Balance of strength and residual formability for stamped contact blades. | 520 | 620 | 8 | 142 HB | 4 % IACS |
Full hard | Hard strip/wire for wear-resistant sliding contacts and stiff cantilever contacts with minimal forming. | 680 | 760 | 3 | 175 HB | 3.9 % IACS |
Extra hard | Maximum-strength spring temper for relay spring contacts and probe wire. | 780 | 830 | 2 | 197 HB | 3.9 % IACS |
What is Pd60Ag40-O?
Pd60Ag40-O is Pd60Ag40 in the O temper — standard stocked condition for stamping, deep drawing, contact rivet heading and wire drawing. Pd60Ag40-O has a yield strength of 180 MPa (26.1 ksi) and a tensile strength of 415 MPa (60.2 ksi) — weaker than 59% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 30% and the elastic modulus is 110 GPa (16 Msi). Pd60Ag40-O has a density of 11.35 g/cm³ (0.41 lb/in³), heavier than 61% of precious metal grades. It melts at 1,290°C (2,354 °F).
Advantages
- High service temperature — 500°C (932 °F), better than 79% of precious metal grades
- Readily welded — 75/100, better than 78% of precious metal grades
- Stiff — 110 GPa (16 Msi), better than 76% of precious metal grades
Limitations
- Poor heat conductor — 20 W/m·K (11.6 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 100% of precious metal grades
- Low electrical conductivity — 4.1 % IACS, worse than 99% of precious metal grades
Pd60Ag40-O properties
Typical room-temperature values for Pd60Ag40-O; 20 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are Pd60Ag40 reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among precious metal grades.
Physical3
Pd60Ag40-O has a density of 11.35 g/cm³ (0.41 lb/in³), heavier than 61% of precious metal grades. It melts at 1,290°C (2,354 °F).
Mechanical14
Pd60Ag40-O has a yield strength of 180 MPa (26.1 ksi) and a tensile strength of 415 MPa (60.2 ksi) — weaker than 59% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 30% and the elastic modulus is 110 GPa (16 Msi).
Thermal6
Pd60Ag40-O is rated for continuous service to 500°C (932 °F). It conducts heat at 20 W/m·K (11.6 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 100% of precious metal grades. Thermal expansion is 14.5 µm/m·K (8.06 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
Pd60Ag40-O conducts electricity at 4.1 % IACS, worse than 99% of precious metal grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is excellent (92/100), better than 73% of precious metal grades.
Sustainability3
Producing a kilogram of Pd60Ag40-O takes about 44,000 MJ of energy and emits 2,400 kg of CO₂ — more than 61% of precious metal grades. Typical recycled content is 60%.
Manufacturability8
Pd60Ag40-O's machinability is fair (35/100, worse than 73% of precious metal grades); weldability very good (75/100); formability excellent (90/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with Pd60Ag40-O
Is Pd60Ag40 easy to machine?
Soft and gummy — use sharp, high-rake carbide or HSS tools, light feeds, flood lubrication, and collect all swarf for refining.
Can Pd60Ag40 be welded?
Resistance, laser and micro-TIG welding of contact rivets and blades work well; avoid sulfur- or halide-bearing fluxes.
Can Pd60Ag40 be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent cold formability in the annealed state (deep drawing, heading, fine wire drawing); interanneal at 700–850 °C in inert or reducing atmosphere between heavy reductions.
What surface finishes work on Pd60Ag40?
Takes a mirror polish; usually used bare, sometimes gold, rhodium or ruthenium flash-plated to reduce organic-film (brown powder) build-up on low-level contacts. Not anodizable.
Pd60Ag40 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Pdprincipal noble constituent | 59 – 61 | 60 |
| Other (Cu, Ni, Pt, Au, Fe, Pb total)residual impurities, refiner-dependent | ≤ 0.15 | 0.05 |
| Ag | ≥ 39 (balance) | — |
Pd60Ag40-O — frequently asked
What is Pd60Ag40-O used for?
Pd60Ag40-O is typically used for electrical contacts, thick-film resistor pastes and relay contacts. In short: most formable Pd alloy; lower-cost palladium contact; deep-drawable contact metal.
What is the yield strength of Pd60Ag40-O?
Pd60Ag40-O has a typical yield strength of 180 MPa (26.1 ksi) and a tensile strength of 415 MPa (60.2 ksi) — weaker than 59% of precious metal grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 6 listed tempers.
Is Pd60Ag40-O easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated fair (35/100, worse than 73% of precious metal grades). Soft and gummy — use sharp, high-rake carbide or HSS tools, light feeds, flood lubrication, and collect all swarf for refining.
Can Pd60Ag40-O be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated very good (75/100). Resistance, laser and micro-TIG welding of contact rivets and blades work well; avoid sulfur- or halide-bearing fluxes.
What surface finishes work on Pd60Ag40-O?
Takes a mirror polish; usually used bare, sometimes gold, rhodium or ruthenium flash-plated to reduce organic-film (brown powder) build-up on low-level contacts. Not anodizable.
Can Pd60Ag40-O be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent cold formability in the annealed state (deep drawing, heading, fine wire drawing); interanneal at 700–850 °C in inert or reducing atmosphere between heavy reductions.
What is the maximum service temperature of Pd60Ag40-O?
Pd60Ag40-O is rated for continuous use to about 500°C (932 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between Pd60Ag40-O and Pd60Ag40-H06?
O is the default condition — standard stocked condition for stamping, deep drawing, contact rivet heading and wire drawing. H06: maximum-strength spring temper for relay spring contacts and probe wire. Yield strength is 180 MPa in O versus 780 MPa in H06.
Sources
- 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 (Ag-Pd system) — ASM International (1992)
- Smithells Metals Reference Book, 8th ed. — Elsevier/Butterworth-Heinemann (2004)
- Palladium-silver electrical contact alloy strip and wire data — Precious-metal contact fabricators (Deringer-Ney / Heraeus type data) (2022)
- Life-cycle inventories of 63 metals (Nuss & Eckelman, PLoS ONE) — Pd and Ag primary production — PLoS ONE (2014)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.