Refractory Metal Cr99.90
Cr99.90 is electrolytically refined chromium metal to GB/T 3211, a pure refractory metal (density 7.15 g/cm³) rather than a structural alloy.
Reference datasheet — Cr99.90 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.
Cr99.90 tempers and conditions
Cr99.90 is supplied in one standard condition, EL-DEG.
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways Cr99.90 is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
VM-BAR | Vacuum/arc-melted consolidated bar, plate or sputtering target | Supply form |
POWDER | Milled / atomised chromium powder | Printing process |
BRIQ | Compacted briquette / pressed compact | Surface finish |
EL-FLAKEDefault | As-deposited electrolytic chromium flake/chip | Surface finish |
LUMP | Crushed and sized lump, 10–50 mm | Surface finish |
What is Cr99.90?
Cr99.90 is electrolytically refined chromium metal to GB/T 3211, a pure refractory metal (density 7.15 g/cm³) rather than a structural alloy. Engineers specify it as a master-alloy addition for chromium-bearing superalloys, stainless steels and vacuum-melted specialty alloys; forms include electrolytic flake, degassed flake, lump, briquette, powder and vacuum-melted bar. It has no room-temperature ductility (elongation 0%), is brittle below about 150 °C and picks up nitrogen, hydrogen and oxygen readily, so it is neither machinable nor cold formable. Low-carbon ferrochromium is the cheaper chromium source when this purity is not needed. Cr99.90 has a density of 7.19 g/cm³ (0.26 lb/in³), lighter than 57% of refractory metal grades. It melts at 1,907°C (3,465 °F). Cr99.90 has a yield strength of 260 MPa (37.7 ksi) and a tensile strength of 300 MPa (43.5 ksi) — weaker than 68% of refractory metal grades. Elongation at break is 0% and the elastic modulus is 279 GPa (40.5 Msi).
What is Cr99.90 used for?
- superalloy master alloy addition
- stainless steel alloying
- vacuum melting charge material
- chromium plating anodes
- research/high-purity metallurgy
Advantages
- Polishes to a fine finish — 80/100, better than 97% of refractory metal grades
- Low embodied carbon — 16 kg CO₂/kg, better than 84% of refractory metal grades
Limitations
- Limited ductility — 0%, worse than 99% of refractory metal grades
- Difficult to weld — 8/100, worse than 97% of refractory metal grades
- Limited formability — 3/100, worse than 96% of refractory metal grades
- Difficult to machine — 5/100, worse than 94% of refractory metal grades
- Low fracture toughness — 15 MPa·√m (13.7 ksi·√in), worse than 75% of refractory metal grades
Cr99.90 properties
Typical room-temperature values; bars are the position among refractory metal grades.
Physical3
Cr99.90 has a density of 7.19 g/cm³ (0.26 lb/in³), lighter than 57% of refractory metal grades. It melts at 1,907°C (3,465 °F).
Mechanical11
Cr99.90 has a yield strength of 260 MPa (37.7 ksi) and a tensile strength of 300 MPa (43.5 ksi) — weaker than 68% of refractory metal grades. Elongation at break is 0% and the elastic modulus is 279 GPa (40.5 Msi).
Thermal5
Cr99.90 is rated for continuous service to 900°C (1,652 °F). It conducts heat at 93.9 W/m·K (54.3 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 74% of refractory metal grades. Thermal expansion is 4.9 µm/m·K (2.72 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
Cr99.90 conducts electricity at 13.8 % IACS, better than 73% of refractory metal grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is excellent (85/100), better than 52% of refractory metal grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Cr99.90 takes about 190 MJ of energy and emits 16 kg of CO₂ — less than 87% of refractory metal grades. Typical recycled content is 2%.
Manufacturability7
Cr99.90's machinability is not recommended (5/100, worse than 94% of refractory metal grades); weldability not recommended (8/100); formability not recommended (3/100).
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 refractory metal family
Yield strength against density for every refractory metal grade FabDigit runs. Cr99.90 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with Cr99.90
Is Cr99.90 easy to machine?
Effectively non-machinable in the as-deposited state — brittle and very hard; consolidated bar can only be ground, EDM'd or diamond-sawn with ample coolant.
Can Cr99.90 be welded?
Poor: welds crack because chromium is brittle below ~150 °C and picks up N/H/O readily — inert-gas or vacuum processes with preheat only, and only on consolidated material.
Can Cr99.90 be formed, bent or molded?
No cold forming; any deformation processing must be done hot (typically >300–500 °C, often canned in steel) above the ductile–brittle transition.
Cr99.90 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Fe | ≤ 0.03 | 0.02 |
| Si | ≤ 0.02 | 0.01 |
| Al | ≤ 0.01 | 0 |
| C | ≤ 0.01 | 0 |
| S | ≤ 0.01 | 0 |
| P | ≤ 0.01 | 0 |
| O | ≤ 0.05 | 0.03 |
| N | ≤ 0.01 | 0 |
| Hnon-dehydrogenated electrolytic flake; dehydrogenated ≤ 0.003 % | ≤ 0.05 | 0.03 |
| Cu | ≤ 0.01 | 0 |
| Crcalculated by difference | ≥ 99.9 (balance) |
What surface finishes work on Cr99.90?
Not anodised; the natural Cr₂O₃ film gives bright, stable surfaces — polish or lightly etch for targets, and keep flake dry to avoid fines oxidation.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Refractory Metal Cr99.90 in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- Also called
- Electrolytic Chromium
How much does Cr99.90 cost?
Cr99.90 is a high-cost refractory metal ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Cr99.90 — frequently asked
What is Cr99.90 used for?
Cr99.90 is typically used for superalloy master alloy addition, stainless steel alloying, vacuum melting charge material, chromium plating anodes and research/high-purity metallurgy. In short: highest-purity chromium source; brittle below ~150 °C; melt addition, not a part.
What is the yield strength of Cr99.90?
Cr99.90 has a typical yield strength of 260 MPa (37.7 ksi) and a tensile strength of 300 MPa (43.5 ksi) — weaker than 68% of refractory metal grades.
Is Cr99.90 easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated not recommended (5/100, worse than 94% of refractory metal grades). Effectively non-machinable in the as-deposited state — brittle and very hard; consolidated bar can only be ground, EDM'd or diamond-sawn with ample coolant.
Can Cr99.90 be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated not recommended (8/100). Poor: welds crack because chromium is brittle below ~150 °C and picks up N/H/O readily — inert-gas or vacuum processes with preheat only, and only on consolidated material.
What surface finishes work on Cr99.90?
Not anodised; the natural Cr₂O₃ film gives bright, stable surfaces — polish or lightly etch for targets, and keep flake dry to avoid fines oxidation.
Can Cr99.90 be formed, bent or molded?
No cold forming; any deformation processing must be done hot (typically >300–500 °C, often canned in steel) above the ductile–brittle transition.
What is the maximum service temperature of Cr99.90?
Cr99.90 is rated for continuous use to about 900°C (1,652 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does Cr99.90 cost?
Cr99.90 is a high-cost refractory metal ($$$$), 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
- GB/T 3211 (2008)
- ASTM A481 Standard Specification for Chromium Metal — ASTM International (2018)
- ASM Handbook Vol.2 — Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys and Special-Purpose Materials — ASM International (1990)
- CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, Physical Constants of the Elements — CRC Press (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.