Solder & Low-Melting Alloy Antimonial Lead 6% Sb
ASTM B102
Antimonial Lead 6% Sb (UNS L52901, ASTM B102) is lead hardened with antimony — commercial grades run 1–12% Sb, with 6% a common level — for higher strength, hardness and rigidity than pure lead.
Reference datasheet — Antimonial Lead 6% Sb 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 AS-CAST condition
Antimonial Lead 6% Sb tempers and conditions
Antimonial Lead 6% Sb is supplied in 4 conditions, soft to hard. AS-CAST 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
pipe, rod, wire, cable sheath | Use hot-extruded acid-service pipe, rod and cable sheathing where a uniform, dense structure and 40% elongation matter; ductility is good but creep strength remains low. | 24 | 48 | 40 | 12 HB | 5.9 % IACS |
Sheet / plate / strip | Pick rolled sheet, plate or strip for chemical linings, shielding panels and roof flashing; grain refinement gives 35% elongation, but room-temperature recrystallization erases any cold work. | 26 | 52 | 35 | 13 HB | 5.9 % IACS |
AS-CASTDefault chill/gravity cast | Choose the standard chill or gravity cast state for ingots, battery grids, acid-resistant pump bodies, ballast and shielding, where 55 MPa tensile and 14 HB suffice to 100 °C. | 30 | 55 | 25 | 14 HB | 5.9 % IACS |
natural or 100 °C artificial aging | Choose for battery grids and structural castings that need rigidity: weeks of natural ageing or a short 100 °C artificial age precipitates the Sb phase and lifts hardness and strength by 20–30%. | 38 | 64 | 18 | 18 HB | 5.9 % IACS |
What is Antimonial Lead 6% Sb?
Antimonial Lead 6% Sb (UNS L52901, ASTM B102) is lead hardened with antimony — commercial grades run 1–12% Sb, with 6% a common level — for higher strength, hardness and rigidity than pure lead. It is used as-cast, cast and aged, rolled or extruded for battery grids, cable sheathing, pipe, ballast and shot, with 55 MPa tensile, 30 MPa yield, 25% elongation, 14 HB and a machinability rating of 78. Service is limited to about 100 °C and corrosion resistance is lower than chemical lead. Maintenance-free battery designs use Pb-Ca-Sn grid alloy instead. Antimonial Lead 6% Sb has a density of 10.88 g/cm³ (0.393 lb/in³), heavier than 87% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. It melts at 252°C (486 °F). Antimonial Lead 6% Sb has a yield strength of 30 MPa (4.35 ksi) and a tensile strength of 55 MPa (7.98 ksi) — stronger than 61% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Elongation at break is 25% and the elastic modulus is 17 GPa (2.47 Msi).
What is Antimonial Lead 6% Sb used for?
- Storage battery grids
- Cable sheathing
- Pipe and fittings
- Ballast weights
- Ammunition shot
Advantages
- Readily welded — 70/100, better than 96% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Low embodied carbon — 2.1 kg CO₂/kg, better than 92% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Good corrosion resistance — 60/100, better than 89% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Easy to machine — 78/100, better than 83% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
Limitations
- Heavy — 10.88 g/cm³ (0.393 lb/in³), worse than 87% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Low electrical conductivity — 5.9 % IACS, worse than 86% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Low stiffness — 17 GPa (2.47 Msi), worse than 83% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Poor heat conductor — 25 W/m·K (14.4 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 82% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Limited ductility — 25%, worse than 76% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
Antimonial Lead 6% Sb properties
Typical room-temperature values for Antimonial Lead 6% Sb-AS-CAST; bars are the position among solder & low-melting alloy grades.
Physical3
Antimonial Lead 6% Sb has a density of 10.88 g/cm³ (0.393 lb/in³), heavier than 87% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. It melts at 252°C (486 °F).
Mechanical12
Antimonial Lead 6% Sb has a yield strength of 30 MPa (4.35 ksi) and a tensile strength of 55 MPa (7.98 ksi) — stronger than 61% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Elongation at break is 25% and the elastic modulus is 17 GPa (2.47 Msi).
Thermal6
Antimonial Lead 6% Sb is rated for continuous service to 100°C (212 °F). It conducts heat at 25 W/m·K (14.4 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 82% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Thermal expansion is 27 µm/m·K (15 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
Antimonial Lead 6% Sb conducts electricity at 5.9 % IACS, worse than 86% of solder & low-melting alloy grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is good (60/100), better than 89% of solder & low-melting alloy grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Antimonial Lead 6% Sb takes about 27 MJ of energy and emits 2.1 kg of CO₂ — less than 91% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Typical recycled content is 70%.
Manufacturability8
Antimonial Lead 6% Sb's machinability is very good (78/100, better than 83% of solder & low-melting alloy grades); weldability very good (70/100); formability good (65/100).
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 solder & low-melting alloy family
Yield strength against density for every solder & low-melting alloy grade FabDigit runs. Antimonial Lead 6% Sb is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with Antimonial Lead 6% Sb
Is Antimonial Lead 6% Sb easy to machine?
Cutting forces are very low but the metal is soft and gummy; use sharp high-positive-rake tools, high speed and light feed with ample coolant and lubrication. Chip collection and lead dust/health protection are mandatory.
Can Antimonial Lead 6% Sb be welded?
Join by lead burning (autogenous oxy-acetylene or oxy-hydrogen) or with matching-composition filler strip. Conventional arc processes are not suitable, and welding or melting requires forced ventilation.
Can Antimonial Lead 6% Sb be formed, bent or molded?
Castability is excellent — gravity, permanent-mould and grid pressure casting all work. Sheet can be cold rolled at low pressure, bent and hammered; the alloy recrystallizes at room temperature so no work hardening accumulates and springback is minimal.
Antimonial Lead 6% Sb 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Sbantimony, hardening element | 5.5 – 6.5 | 6 |
| Snimproves fluidity, usually at impurity level | ≤ 0.2 | 0.05 |
| Asadded in some grid alloys to promote age hardening | ≤ 0.25 | 0.1 |
| Cu | ≤ 0.08 | 0.02 |
| Bi | ≤ 0.1 | 0.03 |
| Ag | ≤ 0.02 | 0.01 |
| Fe | ≤ 0.01 | 0 |
| Zn | ≤ 0.01 | 0 |
| Pbbalance (about 93.5-94.5%) | balance |
What surface finishes work on Antimonial Lead 6% Sb?
Cannot be anodized; a protective grey oxide/lead sulfate film forms naturally. Epoxy coating or plastic sheathing can be applied where needed, and polishing has little value because the surface re-oxidises.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Solder & Low-Melting Alloy Antimonial Lead 6% Sb in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- ASTM
- B102
- Similar grades
- L52901
How much does Antimonial Lead 6% Sb cost?
Antimonial Lead 6% Sb is a standard-cost solder & low-melting alloy ($$), cheaper than about 71% 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.
Antimonial Lead 6% Sb — frequently asked
What is Antimonial Lead 6% Sb used for?
Antimonial Lead 6% Sb is typically used for storage battery grids, cable sheathing, pipe and fittings, ballast weights and ammunition shot. In short: hardest common lead alloy; best-machining lead grade; rigid where pure lead sags.
What is the yield strength of Antimonial Lead 6% Sb?
Antimonial Lead 6% Sb has a typical yield strength of 30 MPa (4.35 ksi) and a tensile strength of 55 MPa (7.98 ksi) — stronger than 61% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 4 listed tempers.
Is Antimonial Lead 6% Sb easy to machine?
Yes — machinability is rated very good (78/100, better than 83% of solder & low-melting alloy grades). Cutting forces are very low but the metal is soft and gummy; use sharp high-positive-rake tools, high speed and light feed with ample coolant and lubrication. Chip collection and lead dust/health protection are mandatory.
Can Antimonial Lead 6% Sb be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated very good (70/100). Join by lead burning (autogenous oxy-acetylene or oxy-hydrogen) or with matching-composition filler strip. Conventional arc processes are not suitable, and welding or melting requires forced ventilation.
What surface finishes work on Antimonial Lead 6% Sb?
Cannot be anodized; a protective grey oxide/lead sulfate film forms naturally. Epoxy coating or plastic sheathing can be applied where needed, and polishing has little value because the surface re-oxidises.
Can Antimonial Lead 6% Sb be formed, bent or molded?
Castability is excellent — gravity, permanent-mould and grid pressure casting all work. Sheet can be cold rolled at low pressure, bent and hammered; the alloy recrystallizes at room temperature so no work hardening accumulates and springback is minimal.
What is the maximum service temperature of Antimonial Lead 6% Sb?
Antimonial Lead 6% Sb is rated for continuous use to about 100°C (212 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between Antimonial Lead 6% Sb AS-CAST and Antimonial Lead 6% Sb ROLLED?
AS-CAST is the default condition — choose the standard chill or gravity cast state for ingots, battery grids, acid-resistant pump bodies, ballast and shielding, where 55 MPa tensile and 14 HB suffice to 100 °C. ROLLED: pick rolled sheet, plate or strip for chemical linings, shielding panels and roof flashing; grain refinement gives 35% elongation, but room-temperature recrystallization erases any cold work. Yield strength is 30 MPa in AS-CAST versus 26 MPa in ROLLED.
How much does Antimonial Lead 6% Sb cost?
Antimonial Lead 6% Sb is a standard-cost solder & low-melting alloy ($$), cheaper than about 71% 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
- ASM Handbook Vol.2 — Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys (Lead and Lead Alloys) — ASM International (1990)
- ASTM B29 — Refined Lead — ASTM International (2020)
- ASTM B749 — Lead and Lead Alloy Strip, Sheet, and Plate — ASTM International (2018)
- ASM Handbook Vol.13B — Corrosion: Materials (Lead) — ASM International (2005)
- Antimonial lead alloy datasheets — Belmont Metals / Rotometals (2023)
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.