Precious Metal PdCu
PdCu is a palladium–copper alloy used mainly for dental restorations and for electrical contact and brazing applications, valued for hardness and biocompatibility.
Reference datasheet — PdCu 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 Annealed condition
PdCu tempers and conditions
PdCu is supplied in 6 conditions, soft to hard. Annealed is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 6 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AnnealedDefault soft, fully recrystallized wire/sheet/strip | Default stock condition: pick for forming, deep drawing, wire drawing, membrane foil and further cold working. | 240 | 500 | 28 | 130 HB | 5 % IACS |
investment-cast dental restorations (ISO 22674 type 4/5) | Choose for cast crowns, bridges and frameworks; meets the ISO 22674 proof-stress and elongation classes for fixed restorations. | 350 | 550 | 15 | 165 HB | 4.5 % IACS |
Half hard | Choose for contact springs and formed parts needing higher strength while retaining some bendability. | 550 | 700 | 8 | 93 HRB | 4.8 % IACS |
Full hard | Choose for drawn contact wire, probe pins and slip-ring brush wire needing high strength and wear resistance. | 800 | 900 | 3 | 24 HRC | 4.8 % IACS |
Ordered / age-hardened | Choose when both higher hardness and markedly lower electrical resistivity are wanted (hydrogen membranes, low-noise contacts). | 850 | 1,000 | 3 | 30 HRC | 9.6 % IACS |
Spring hard | Choose for fine spring contacts and low-force wipers where maximum elastic limit is required. | 950 | 1,050 | 2 | 28 HRC | 4.7 % IACS |
What is PdCu?
PdCu is a palladium–copper alloy used mainly for dental restorations and for electrical contact and brazing applications, valued for hardness and biocompatibility. Annealed it gives 240 MPa yield, 500 MPa tensile, 28 % elongation and 130 HB, works down to wire below 0.05 mm and to membrane foil, and serves to 500 °C with 25 W/m·K thermal conductivity. Electrical conductivity is low at 5 % IACS, machinability is poor (score 30), and slow cooling through 350–450 °C forms the ordered condition, which is harder but less ductile. Pd60Ag40 is the softer, more formable alternative. PdCu has a density of 10.4 g/cm³ (0.376 lb/in³), heavier than 51% of precious metal grades. It melts at 1,000°C (1,832 °F). PdCu has a yield strength of 240 MPa (34.8 ksi) and a tensile strength of 500 MPa (72.5 ksi) — stronger than 73% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 28% and the elastic modulus is 130 GPa (18.9 Msi).
What is PdCu used for?
- Dental crowns/bridges
- Electrical contacts
- Brazing alloys
Advantages
- Stiff — 130 GPa (18.9 Msi), better than 83% of precious metal grades
- High service temperature — 500°C (932 °F), better than 79% of precious metal grades
Limitations
- Low electrical conductivity — 5 % IACS, worse than 97% of precious metal grades
- Poor heat conductor — 25 W/m·K (14.4 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 96% of precious metal grades
- Difficult to machine — 30/100, worse than 86% of precious metal grades
PdCu properties
Typical room-temperature values for PdCu-Annealed; bars are the position among precious metal grades.
Physical3
PdCu has a density of 10.4 g/cm³ (0.376 lb/in³), heavier than 51% of precious metal grades. It melts at 1,000°C (1,832 °F).
Mechanical11
PdCu has a yield strength of 240 MPa (34.8 ksi) and a tensile strength of 500 MPa (72.5 ksi) — stronger than 73% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 28% and the elastic modulus is 130 GPa (18.9 Msi).
Thermal6
PdCu is rated for continuous service to 500°C (932 °F). It conducts heat at 25 W/m·K (14.4 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 96% of precious metal grades. Thermal expansion is 14 µm/m·K (7.78 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
PdCu conducts electricity at 5 % IACS, worse than 97% of precious metal grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is excellent (85/100), better than 61% of precious metal grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of PdCu takes about 70,000 MJ of energy and emits 2,500 kg of CO₂ — more than 64% of precious metal grades. Typical recycled content is 55%.
Manufacturability8
PdCu's machinability is poor (30/100, worse than 86% of precious metal grades); weldability good (65/100); 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. PdCu is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with PdCu
Is PdCu easy to machine?
Machines like a gummy noble alloy — sharp carbide or HSS tools, positive rake, high speed, light feeds and flood coolant; collect all chips for refining.
Can PdCu be welded?
No filler fusion welding in practice; joined by laser, resistance/spot or microplasma welding, and by Au/Ag-base brazing at 700–900 °C.
Can PdCu be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent cold formability when annealed (drawn to <0.05 mm wire, rolled to membrane foil); intermediate anneals 700–850 °C in inert or reducing atmosphere, and avoid slow cooling through 350–450 °C if the soft disordered state is wanted.
PdCu 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cu≈53–55 at% Cu; ordered B2 CuPd forms below ~600 °C | 38 – 42 | 40 |
| Other, eachtrace Fe, Ni, Pb, O held low for ductility and biocompatibility | ≤ 0.1 | |
| Pdbalance; dental Pd–Cu grades run much higher Pd (75–80 %) with Ga/Sn additions | ≥ 58 (balance) |
What surface finishes work on PdCu?
Takes a bright mirror polish and stays tarnish-free; Au or Rh flash plating is used only for contact-resistance stability, anodizing is not applicable.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Precious Metal PdCu in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- Similar grades
- 22674
How much does PdCu cost?
PdCu 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.
PdCu — frequently asked
What is PdCu used for?
PdCu is typically used for dental crowns/bridges, electrical contacts and brazing alloys. In short: order-hardenable palladium alloy; hard, tarnish-free Pd grade; dental and contact metal.
What is the yield strength of PdCu?
PdCu has a typical yield strength of 240 MPa (34.8 ksi) and a tensile strength of 500 MPa (72.5 ksi) — stronger than 73% of precious metal grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 6 listed tempers.
Is PdCu easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (30/100, worse than 86% of precious metal grades). Machines like a gummy noble alloy — sharp carbide or HSS tools, positive rake, high speed, light feeds and flood coolant; collect all chips for refining.
Can PdCu be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated good (65/100). No filler fusion welding in practice; joined by laser, resistance/spot or microplasma welding, and by Au/Ag-base brazing at 700–900 °C.
What surface finishes work on PdCu?
Takes a bright mirror polish and stays tarnish-free; Au or Rh flash plating is used only for contact-resistance stability, anodizing is not applicable.
Can PdCu be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent cold formability when annealed (drawn to <0.05 mm wire, rolled to membrane foil); intermediate anneals 700–850 °C in inert or reducing atmosphere, and avoid slow cooling through 350–450 °C if the soft disordered state is wanted.
What is the maximum service temperature of PdCu?
PdCu 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 PdCu Annealed and PdCu Spring?
Annealed is the default condition — default stock condition: pick for forming, deep drawing, wire drawing, membrane foil and further cold working. Spring: choose for fine spring contacts and low-force wipers where maximum elastic limit is required. Yield strength is 240 MPa in Annealed versus 950 MPa in Spring.
How much does PdCu cost?
PdCu 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
- ISO 22674 — Dentistry: Metallic materials for fixed and removable restorations and appliances — ISO (2016)
- ASM Specialty Handbook / Precious Metals Science and Technology — ASM International / IPMI (1991)
- ASM Alloy Phase Diagrams — Cu–Pd system — ASM International (2016)
- Palladium alloy contact and wire materials — Deringer-Ney / Johnson Matthey (2023)
- Pd–Cu membrane and contact alloy property compilations — Metals research literature (H2 separation membranes) (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.