Precious Metal Pd950
Pd950 is a 95 wt % palladium jewelry and industrial alloy, usually with ruthenium as the balance (Pd-Ru 950), with gallium- and copper-bearing variants also in use.
Reference datasheet — Pd950 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
Pd950 tempers and conditions
Pd950 is supplied in 4 conditions, soft to hard. O 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ODefault Annealed | Pick the annealed soft temper as the most stocked condition for sheet, wire and tube to be formed, forged or stone-set, with 35 % elongation and only 130 MPa yield. | 130 | 290 | 35 | 45 HB | 11 % IACS |
investment cast, as-solidified | Pick as-cast investment castings for jewellery shapes that cannot be wrought; coarse solidified grain keeps properties below annealed wrought stock, and vacuum or inert-gas casting is needed to avoid gas porosity. | 140 | 260 | 20 | 52 HB | 10.5 % IACS |
Half hard | Use the half-hard temper, about 30 % cold reduction, for wire, spring strip and watch-case parts that need rigidity while keeping some forming reserve at 10 % elongation. | 370 | 450 | 10 | 81 HB | 10.8 % IACS |
hard / full hard (≥50 % reduction) | Choose the full-hard condition after at least 50 % cold reduction for spring elements, wear-resistant contacts and stiff settings; tensile strength peaks at 570 MPa with elongation down to 3 %. | 510 | 570 | 3 | 110 HB | 10.5 % IACS |
What is Pd950?
Pd950 is a 95 wt % palladium jewelry and industrial alloy, usually with ruthenium as the balance (Pd-Ru 950), with gallium- and copper-bearing variants also in use. It is naturally white and needs no rhodium plating, has roughly half the density of platinum and resists tarnish and acids, which suits white rings, watch cases, high-reliability electrical contacts and dental parts; annealed properties are 130 MPa yield, 290 MPa tensile and 35 % elongation. Limits are the high melting point (above about 1500 °C), hydrogen and oxygen pickup during melting that causes casting porosity, sticky machining, and raw-material prices that swing with the palladium market. Pd950 has a density of 12 g/cm³ (0.434 lb/in³), heavier than 65% of precious metal grades. It melts at 1,520°C (2,768 °F). Pd950 has a yield strength of 130 MPa (18.9 ksi) and a tensile strength of 290 MPa (42.1 ksi) — weaker than 72% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 35% and the elastic modulus is 124 GPa (18 Msi).
What is Pd950 used for?
- Bridal jewelry and wedding bands
- White jewelry settings and mounts
- Watch cases and components
- High-reliability electrical contacts
- Dental alloy components
- Brazing and joining stock for precious metal assemblies
Advantages
- Readily welded — 85/100, better than 93% of precious metal grades
- High service temperature — 800°C (1,472 °F), better than 90% of precious metal grades
- Ductile — tolerates forming and impact — 35%, better than 83% of precious metal grades
- Stiff — 124 GPa (18 Msi), better than 82% of precious metal grades
Limitations
- Poor heat conductor — 55 W/m·K (31.8 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 76% of precious metal grades
- Low electrical conductivity — 11 % IACS, worse than 75% of precious metal grades
Pd950 properties
Typical room-temperature values for Pd950-O; bars are the position among precious metal grades.
Physical3
Pd950 has a density of 12 g/cm³ (0.434 lb/in³), heavier than 65% of precious metal grades. It melts at 1,520°C (2,768 °F).
Mechanical12
Pd950 has a yield strength of 130 MPa (18.9 ksi) and a tensile strength of 290 MPa (42.1 ksi) — weaker than 72% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 35% and the elastic modulus is 124 GPa (18 Msi).
Thermal6
Pd950 is rated for continuous service to 800°C (1,472 °F). It conducts heat at 55 W/m·K (31.8 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 76% of precious metal grades. Thermal expansion is 11.8 µm/m·K (6.56 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
Pd950 conducts electricity at 11 % IACS, worse than 75% of precious metal grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is excellent (92/100), better than 73% of precious metal grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Pd950 takes about 150,000 MJ of energy and emits 10,000 kg of CO₂ — more than 73% of precious metal grades. Typical recycled content is 50%.
Manufacturability8
Pd950's machinability is fair (40/100, worse than 60% of precious metal grades); weldability excellent (85/100); formability excellent (85/100).
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. Pd950 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with Pd950
Is Pd950 easy to machine?
Gummy with a strong tendency to built-up edge: use sharp positive-rake carbide or HSS tools at low speed and higher feed with generous lubrication. Recover all chips and grinding dust.
Can Pd950 be welded?
Laser spot welding and argon-arc welding perform well with matching Pd950 filler. Avoid reducing hydrogen-bearing flames at high temperature to prevent hydrogen absorption and blistering.
Can Pd950 be formed, bent or molded?
Ductile in the annealed temper for deep drawing, forging and wire drawing, but it work-hardens quickly — anneal at 900–1000 °C under protective atmosphere and water quench after roughly 50 % deformation.
Pd950 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Pdminimum 950‰ fineness (ISO 9202 / GB 11887) | ≥ 95 | 95 |
| GaPd950-Ga cast variant only; lowers melting point and hardens | 0 – 5 | |
| Cutrace addition in some formulations to improve casting flow | 0 – 1 | |
| Rustandard Pd-Ru 950; some grades replace part of Ru with Ga/Cu/Ir | ≥ 4 (balance) |
What surface finishes work on Pd950?
The natural white colour needs no rhodium plating; a graded alumina or diamond compound sequence gives a mirror finish. Remove surface oxide and the subsurface porous layer on castings before polishing.
How much does Pd950 cost?
Pd950 is a specialty-cost precious metal ($$$$$), pricier than about 100% 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.
Pd950 — frequently asked
What is Pd950 used for?
Pd950 is typically used for bridal jewelry and wedding bands, white jewelry settings and mounts, watch cases and components, high-reliability electrical contacts, dental alloy components and brazing and joining stock for precious metal assemblies. In short: white-gold alternative palladium.
What is the yield strength of Pd950?
Pd950 has a typical yield strength of 130 MPa (18.9 ksi) and a tensile strength of 290 MPa (42.1 ksi) — weaker than 72% of precious metal grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 4 listed tempers.
Is Pd950 easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated fair (40/100, worse than 60% of precious metal grades). Gummy with a strong tendency to built-up edge: use sharp positive-rake carbide or HSS tools at low speed and higher feed with generous lubrication. Recover all chips and grinding dust.
Can Pd950 be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated excellent (85/100). Laser spot welding and argon-arc welding perform well with matching Pd950 filler. Avoid reducing hydrogen-bearing flames at high temperature to prevent hydrogen absorption and blistering.
What surface finishes work on Pd950?
The natural white colour needs no rhodium plating; a graded alumina or diamond compound sequence gives a mirror finish. Remove surface oxide and the subsurface porous layer on castings before polishing.
Can Pd950 be formed, bent or molded?
Ductile in the annealed temper for deep drawing, forging and wire drawing, but it work-hardens quickly — anneal at 900–1000 °C under protective atmosphere and water quench after roughly 50 % deformation.
What is the maximum service temperature of Pd950?
Pd950 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.
How much does Pd950 cost?
Pd950 is a specialty-cost precious metal ($$$$$), pricier than about 100% 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
- ISO 9202 Jewellery — Fineness of precious metal alloys — ISO (2019)
- ASTM B562 Standard Specification for Refined Palladium — ASTM International (2020)
- ASM Handbook Vol.2 — Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys (Precious Metals) — ASM International (1990)
- Palladium jewellery alloy technical data (Pd950Ru / Pd950Ga) (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.