Precious Metal PdRu5-H04
Supply condition
H04 = full hard
Standard temper for wear-resistant sliding contacts, brushes and slip-ring wire.
Values for the H04 condition
Other PdRu5 tempers and conditions
PdRu5 is listed in 6 conditions; see the grade overview at PdRu5.
Compare all 6 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AnnealedDefault soft, fully recrystallized strip/wire | Choose for deep drawing, heavy forming, rivet heading and clad-strip bonding operations. | 210 | 450 | 25 | 114 HB | 9.6 % IACS |
Quarter hard | Light temper for stamped contacts still needing moderate bending without cracking. | 450 | 600 | 12 | 152 HB | 9.3 % IACS |
Half hard | General-purpose temper balancing spring force and formability for connector contacts. | 600 | 720 | 6 | 9 HRC | 9.2 % IACS |
cold worked + low-temperature stabilization anneal | Pick when formed springs must keep dimensional stability and resist stress relaxation in service. | 790 | 860 | 3 | 18 HRC | 9.4 % IACS |
H04This page Full hard | Standard temper for wear-resistant sliding contacts, brushes and slip-ring wire. | 800 | 900 | 2.5 | 20 HRC | — |
Spring hard | Maximum hardness and contact force retention for reed/relay springs and fine probe wire. | 960 | 1,050 | 1.5 | 25 HRC | 9 % IACS |
What is PdRu5-H04?
PdRu5-H04 is PdRu5 supplied in the H04 condition — standard temper for wear-resistant sliding contacts, brushes and slip-ring wire. PdRu5-H04 has a yield strength of 800 MPa (116 ksi) and a tensile strength of 900 MPa (131 ksi) — stronger than 100% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 2.5% and the elastic modulus is 135 GPa (19.6 Msi). PdRu5-H04 has a density of 12.05 g/cm³ (0.435 lb/in³), heavier than 68% of precious metal grades. It melts at 1,575°C (2,867 °F). Annealed is the default condition FabDigit quotes; H04 is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- High strength — 800 MPa (116 ksi), better than 100% of precious metal grades
- Stiff — 135 GPa (19.6 Msi), better than 84% of precious metal grades
Limitations
- Limited ductility — 2.5%, worse than 97% of precious metal grades
- Limited formability — 30/100, worse than 94% 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
PdRu5-H04 properties
Typical room-temperature values for PdRu5-H04; 10 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are PdRu5 reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among precious metal grades.
Physical3
PdRu5-H04 has a density of 12.05 g/cm³ (0.435 lb/in³), heavier than 68% of precious metal grades. It melts at 1,575°C (2,867 °F).
Mechanical13
PdRu5-H04 has a yield strength of 800 MPa (116 ksi) and a tensile strength of 900 MPa (131 ksi) — stronger than 100% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 2.5% and the elastic modulus is 135 GPa (19.6 Msi).
Thermal6
PdRu5-H04 is rated for continuous service to 300°C (572 °F). It conducts heat at 45 W/m·K (26 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 82% of precious metal grades. Thermal expansion is 11.5 µm/m·K (6.39 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
PdRu5-H04 conducts electricity at 9.6 % IACS, worse than 81% of precious metal grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is excellent (92/100), better than 73% of precious metal grades.
Sustainability3
Producing a kilogram of PdRu5-H04 takes about 95,000 MJ of energy and emits 3,800 kg of CO₂ — more than 68% of precious metal grades. Typical recycled content is 55%.
Manufacturability8
PdRu5-H04's machinability is fair (40/100, worse than 60% of precious metal grades); weldability very good (70/100); formability poor (30/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with PdRu5-H04
Is PdRu5 easy to machine?
Gummy and abrasion-prone — use sharp carbide/diamond tools, high speed, light feed and copious lubricant; swarf must be collected for refining.
Can PdRu5 be welded?
Readily resistance-, laser- and micro-TIG-welded to Cu, CuNi and Ni carriers; braze with Ag-Cu or Au-based fillers under inert cover.
Can PdRu5 be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent cold formability when annealed (stamping, deep drawing, fine wire drawing); interanneal ~850–950 °C in H₂/inert atmosphere after ~50 % reduction.
What surface finishes work on PdRu5?
Takes a high mirror polish and needs no plating; commonly supplied as inlay or overlay clad on copper-alloy strip to minimize precious-metal usage.
PdRu5 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Rusolid-solution hardener | 4.5 – 5.5 | 5 |
| Other (total impurities)Pt, Ir, Rh, Fe, Cu, Ni residuals | ≤ 0.15 | — |
| Pd | ≥ 94.3 (balance) | — |
PdRu5-H04 — frequently asked
What is PdRu5-H04 used for?
PdRu5-H04 is typically used for telecom connectors, reed relay contacts, low-power switch contacts and sliding contacts. In short: harder than pure palladium; cheaper than platinum contacts; excellent cold formability.
What is the yield strength of PdRu5-H04?
PdRu5-H04 has a typical yield strength of 800 MPa (116 ksi) and a tensile strength of 900 MPa (131 ksi) — stronger than 100% of precious metal grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 6 listed tempers.
Is PdRu5-H04 easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated fair (40/100, worse than 60% of precious metal grades). Gummy and abrasion-prone — use sharp carbide/diamond tools, high speed, light feed and copious lubricant; swarf must be collected for refining.
Can PdRu5-H04 be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated very good (70/100). Readily resistance-, laser- and micro-TIG-welded to Cu, CuNi and Ni carriers; braze with Ag-Cu or Au-based fillers under inert cover.
What surface finishes work on PdRu5-H04?
Takes a high mirror polish and needs no plating; commonly supplied as inlay or overlay clad on copper-alloy strip to minimize precious-metal usage.
Can PdRu5-H04 be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent cold formability when annealed (stamping, deep drawing, fine wire drawing); interanneal ~850–950 °C in H₂/inert atmosphere after ~50 % reduction.
What is the maximum service temperature of PdRu5-H04?
PdRu5-H04 is rated for continuous use to about 300°C (572 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between PdRu5 Annealed and PdRu5 Spring?
Annealed is the default condition — choose for deep drawing, heavy forming, rivet heading and clad-strip bonding operations. Spring: maximum hardness and contact force retention for reed/relay springs and fine probe wire. Yield strength is 210 MPa in Annealed versus 960 MPa in Spring.
Sources
- ASTM B540 — Standard Specification for Palladium Electrical Contact Material — ASTM International (2018)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 2 — Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys and Special-Purpose Materials (Precious Metals) — ASM International (1990)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 3 — Alloy Phase Diagrams (Pd-Ru system) — ASM International (1992)
- Precious-metal electrical contact alloy datasheets (Pd-Ru grades) — Deringer-Ney / Johnson Matthey / Heraeus (2023)
- PGM physical property data (palladium and its alloys) — Johnson Matthey PGM Market Report / IPMI (2024)
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.