Precious Metal Pure Pd
Pure Pd is unalloyed palladium of 99.9% minimum purity, covered for sheet and strip by ASTM B589 and supplied in annealed through hard tempers (O, H01, H02, H04).
Reference datasheet — Pure Pd 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
Pure Pd tempers and conditions
Pure Pd 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 | Choose for deep drawing, bending, wire bonding and clad/bimetal contact rivets where maximum ductility is needed. | 55 | 180 | 32 | 38 HB | 16 % IACS |
Quarter hard | Choose when formed contact springs need slightly higher yield strength but still substantial bend ductility. | 150 | 235 | 15 | 62 HB | 15.8 % IACS |
Half hard | The usual stocked temper for stamped relay contacts and contact springs needing a balance of strength and formability. | 215 | 285 | 8 | 84 HB | 15.6 % IACS |
Full hard | Choose for maximum hardness, wear resistance and spring force in sliding contacts, brushes and probe wire; very limited bending. | 300 | 340 | 3 | 106 HB | 15.4 % IACS |
What is Pure Pd?
Pure Pd is unalloyed palladium of 99.9% minimum purity, covered for sheet and strip by ASTM B589 and supplied in annealed through hard tempers (O, H01, H02, H04). It is chosen for tarnish resistance, stable low contact resistance and very high formability (32% elongation, 38 HB) in precision low-energy switching, and is also used as a clad or plated contact layer and as anode stock. It is soft at 55 MPa yield and 180 MPa tensile, carries only 16% IACS, and is embrittled by hydrogen, sulphur and lead; Pd-Cu per ASTM B685 is the harder, more wear-resistant option. Pure Pd has a density of 12.02 g/cm³ (0.434 lb/in³), heavier than 67% of precious metal grades. It melts at 1,554°C (2,829 °F). Pure Pd has a yield strength of 55 MPa (7.98 ksi) and a tensile strength of 180 MPa (26.1 ksi) — weaker than 95% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 32% and the elastic modulus is 121 GPa (17.5 Msi).
What is Pure Pd used for?
- reed relay contacts
- precision telecom switch contacts
- electroplating anodes
Advantages
- Readily welded — 85/100, better than 93% of precious metal grades
- Forms and bends easily — 95/100, better than 91% of precious metal grades
- Good corrosion resistance — 95/100, better than 82% of precious metal grades
- Stiff — 121 GPa (17.5 Msi), better than 80% of precious metal grades
- High service temperature — 500°C (932 °F), better than 79% of precious metal grades
Limitations
- Low strength — 55 MPa (7.98 ksi), worse than 95% of precious metal grades
- High embodied carbon — 12,000 kg CO₂/kg, worse than 76% of precious metal grades
Pure Pd properties
Typical room-temperature values for Pure Pd-O; bars are the position among precious metal grades.
Physical3
Pure Pd has a density of 12.02 g/cm³ (0.434 lb/in³), heavier than 67% of precious metal grades. It melts at 1,554°C (2,829 °F).
Mechanical11
Pure Pd has a yield strength of 55 MPa (7.98 ksi) and a tensile strength of 180 MPa (26.1 ksi) — weaker than 95% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 32% and the elastic modulus is 121 GPa (17.5 Msi).
Thermal6
Pure Pd is rated for continuous service to 500°C (932 °F). It conducts heat at 71.8 W/m·K (41.5 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 60% of precious metal grades. Thermal expansion is 11.8 µm/m·K (6.56 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
Pure Pd conducts electricity at 16 % IACS, worse than 60% of precious metal grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is excellent (95/100), better than 82% of precious metal grades.
Sustainability3
Producing a kilogram of Pure Pd takes about 120,000 MJ of energy and emits 12,000 kg of CO₂ — more than 70% of precious metal grades. Typical recycled content is 28%.
Manufacturability8
Pure Pd's machinability is fair (35/100, worse than 73% of precious metal grades); weldability excellent (85/100); formability excellent (95/100).
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. Pure Pd is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with Pure Pd
Is Pure Pd easy to machine?
Soft and gummy — use sharp, high-rake carbide or diamond tools, light depths, high speed and copious lubrication; collect all swarf for refining.
Can Pure Pd be welded?
Resistance, laser and micro-TIG weld readily in inert gas; strictly avoid hydrogen-bearing atmospheres and sulphur/lead contamination which embrittle the metal.
Can Pure Pd be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent cold formability in the annealed temper (deep drawing, coining, fine wire drawing); anneal at 800–1000 °C in inert or slightly oxidising atmosphere between heavy reductions.
Pure Pd 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.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) |
|---|---|
| Pttypical single-impurity limit | ≤ 0.05 |
| Rh+Ir+Ruother PGM total | ≤ 0.05 |
| Ag | ≤ 0.02 |
| Cu | ≤ 0.02 |
| Fe | ≤ 0.02 |
| Pb | ≤ 0.01 |
| Total impuritiessum of all non-Pd elements | ≤ 0.1 |
| Pdrefined palladium, ASTM B589 grade 99.9 min | ≥ 99.9 (balance) |
What surface finishes work on Pure Pd?
Takes a bright mirror polish that does not tarnish; often used as a plated or clad contact layer itself, and can be electroplated with Au flash to suppress frictional polymer film formation.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Precious Metal Pure Pd in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- Also called
- Pd 99.9%
How much does Pure Pd cost?
Pure Pd 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.
Pure Pd — frequently asked
What is Pure Pd used for?
Pure Pd is typically used for reed relay contacts, precision telecom switch contacts and electroplating anodes. In short: tarnish-free noble contact; highest formability in family; soft, hydrogen-sensitive metal.
What is the yield strength of Pure Pd?
Pure Pd has a typical yield strength of 55 MPa (7.98 ksi) and a tensile strength of 180 MPa (26.1 ksi) — weaker than 95% of precious metal grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 4 listed tempers.
Is Pure Pd 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 diamond tools, light depths, high speed and copious lubrication; collect all swarf for refining.
Can Pure Pd be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated excellent (85/100). Resistance, laser and micro-TIG weld readily in inert gas; strictly avoid hydrogen-bearing atmospheres and sulphur/lead contamination which embrittle the metal.
What surface finishes work on Pure Pd?
Takes a bright mirror polish that does not tarnish; often used as a plated or clad contact layer itself, and can be electroplated with Au flash to suppress frictional polymer film formation.
Can Pure Pd be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent cold formability in the annealed temper (deep drawing, coining, fine wire drawing); anneal at 800–1000 °C in inert or slightly oxidising atmosphere between heavy reductions.
What is the maximum service temperature of Pure Pd?
Pure Pd 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 Pure Pd-O and Pure Pd-H04?
O is the default condition — choose for deep drawing, bending, wire bonding and clad/bimetal contact rivets where maximum ductility is needed. H04: choose for maximum hardness, wear resistance and spring force in sliding contacts, brushes and probe wire; very limited bending. Yield strength is 55 MPa in O versus 300 MPa in H04.
How much does Pure Pd cost?
Pure Pd 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
- ASTM B589 — Standard Specification for Refined Palladium — ASTM International (2020)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 2 — Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys and Special-Purpose Materials (Precious Metals) — ASM International (1990)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 13B — Corrosion: Materials (Noble Metals) — ASM International (2005)
- CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics — physical properties of palladium — CRC Press (2023)
- Precious metal contact material data (Pd and Pd alloys) — Johnson Matthey / Heraeus (2022)
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.