Precious Metal PdCu Ordered
Heat-treated state
Ordered = ordered / age-hardened
Choose when both higher hardness and markedly lower electrical resistivity are wanted (hydrogen membranes, low-noise contacts).
Values for the Ordered condition
Other PdCu tempers and conditions
PdCu is listed in 6 conditions; see the grade overview at PdCu.
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 |
OrderedThis page 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 Ordered?
PdCu Ordered is PdCu heat treated to Ordered — choose when both higher hardness and markedly lower electrical resistivity are wanted (hydrogen membranes, low-noise contacts). PdCu Ordered has a yield strength of 850 MPa (123 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,000 MPa (145 ksi) — stronger than 100% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 3% and the elastic modulus is 130 GPa (18.9 Msi). PdCu Ordered 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). Annealed is the default condition FabDigit quotes; Ordered is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- High strength — 850 MPa (123 ksi), better than 100% of precious metal grades
- Stiff — 130 GPa (18.9 Msi), better than 83% of precious metal grades
Limitations
- Limited ductility — 3%, worse than 95% of precious metal grades
- Limited formability — 25/100, worse than 95% of precious metal grades
- Difficult to machine — 30/100, worse than 86% of precious metal grades
- Poor heat conductor — 45 W/m·K (26 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 82% of precious metal grades
- Low electrical conductivity — 9.6 % IACS, worse than 81% of precious metal grades
PdCu Ordered properties
Typical room-temperature values for PdCu Ordered; 10 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are PdCu reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among precious metal grades.
Physical3
PdCu Ordered 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 Ordered has a yield strength of 850 MPa (123 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,000 MPa (145 ksi) — stronger than 100% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 3% and the elastic modulus is 130 GPa (18.9 Msi).
Thermal6
PdCu Ordered is rated for continuous service to 450°C (842 °F). It conducts heat at 45 W/m·K (26 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 82% of precious metal grades. Thermal expansion is 14 µm/m·K (7.78 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
PdCu Ordered conducts electricity at 9.6 % IACS, worse than 81% 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 Ordered 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 Ordered's machinability is poor (30/100, worse than 86% of precious metal grades); weldability good (65/100); formability poor (25/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with PdCu Ordered
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.
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.
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) | — |
PdCu Ordered — frequently asked
What is PdCu Ordered used for?
PdCu Ordered 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 Ordered?
PdCu Ordered has a typical yield strength of 850 MPa (123 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,000 MPa (145 ksi) — stronger than 100% of precious metal grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 6 listed tempers.
Is PdCu Ordered 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 Ordered 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 Ordered?
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 Ordered 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 Ordered?
PdCu Ordered is rated for continuous use to about 450°C (842 °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.
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. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.