Solder & Low-Melting Alloy Cerrolow-117
Cerrolow-117 is a five-component bismuth-lead-indium-cadmium-tin eutectic and one of the lowest-melting commercial fusible alloys, with a melting point near 47 °C.
Reference datasheet — Cerrolow-117 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
Cerrolow-117 tempers and conditions
Cerrolow-117 is supplied in one standard condition, AS-CAST. AS-CAST is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways Cerrolow-117 is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
EXT | Extruded wire / rod | Supply form |
Ingot | Ingot / bar stock for remelting | Supply form |
What is Cerrolow-117?
Cerrolow-117 is a five-component bismuth-lead-indium-cadmium-tin eutectic and one of the lowest-melting commercial fusible alloys, with a melting point near 47 °C. It is specified where a metal must become fully liquid far below the boiling point of water — thermal fuse elements and precision low-temperature tooling — and is supplied as ingot, as-cast shapes and extruded stock. Mechanical properties are minimal (29 MPa tensile, 50 % elongation, 12 HB) and the maximum service temperature is 30 °C, so parts creep under sustained load. It contains lead and cadmium, so bismuth-tin eutectics are the usual alternative where those elements are restricted. Cerrolow-117 has a density of 9.16 g/cm³ (0.331 lb/in³), heavier than 61% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. It melts at 47°C (117 °F). Cerrolow-117 has a tensile strength of 29 MPa (4.21 ksi), weaker than 79% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Elongation at break is 50% and the elastic modulus is 12 GPa (1.74 Msi).
What is Cerrolow-117 used for?
- thermal fuse elements
- precision mold/tooling fill
- specialty heat-sensitive triggers
Advantages
- Ductile — tolerates forming and impact — 50%, better than 92% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
Limitations
- Limited service temperature — 30°C (86 °F), worse than 100% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Poor heat conductor — 12 W/m·K (6.93 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 100% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Low stiffness — 12 GPa (1.74 Msi), worse than 94% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Low electrical conductivity — 3.8 % IACS, worse than 94% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Difficult to weld — 10/100, worse than 94% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
Cerrolow-117 properties
Typical room-temperature values for Cerrolow-117-AS-CAST; bars are the position among solder & low-melting alloy grades.
Physical3
Cerrolow-117 has a density of 9.16 g/cm³ (0.331 lb/in³), heavier than 61% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. It melts at 47°C (117 °F).
Mechanical8
Cerrolow-117 has a tensile strength of 29 MPa (4.21 ksi), weaker than 79% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Elongation at break is 50% and the elastic modulus is 12 GPa (1.74 Msi).
Thermal6
Cerrolow-117 is rated for continuous service to 30°C (86 °F). It conducts heat at 12 W/m·K (6.93 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 100% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Thermal expansion is 23 µm/m·K (12.8 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
Cerrolow-117 conducts electricity at 3.8 % IACS, worse than 94% of solder & low-melting alloy grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is fair (40/100), worse than 82% of solder & low-melting alloy grades.
Sustainability3
Producing a kilogram of Cerrolow-117 takes about 300 MJ of energy and emits 22 kg of CO₂ — more than 73% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Typical recycled content is 40%.
Manufacturability7
Cerrolow-117's machinability is poor (30/100, worse than 60% of solder & low-melting alloy grades); weldability not recommended (10/100); formability good (60/100).
Common Calculations4
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. Cerrolow-117 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with Cerrolow-117
Is Cerrolow-117 easy to machine?
Machinable only when chilled (dry ice / cold coolant) with very sharp high-rake tools; otherwise it smears, creeps and loads the cutter.
Can Cerrolow-117 be welded?
Not weldable in any conventional sense — repair or join by simply remelting and re-pouring at 60–80 °C.
Can Cerrolow-117 be formed, bent or molded?
Cast at 60–90 °C into silicone, plaster or metal moulds; excellent fluidity and fine detail, but expect small dimensional drift from post-solidification growth/creep.
Cerrolow-117 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Biprimary constituent | 44 – 45.4 | 44.7 |
| Pb | 22 – 23.2 | 22.6 |
| Indepresses melting point to ~47 °C | 18.5 – 19.7 | 19.1 |
| Sn | 7.9 – 8.7 | 8.3 |
| Cdtoxic; RoHS/REACH restricted | 5 – 5.6 | 5.3 |
What surface finishes work on Cerrolow-117?
No plating or anodizing; surface is soft and tarnishes — protect with lacquer or encapsulate. Handle with gloves and control fume/dust: contains lead and cadmium.
How much does Cerrolow-117 cost?
Cerrolow-117 is a high-cost solder & low-melting alloy ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Cerrolow-117 — frequently asked
What is Cerrolow-117 used for?
Cerrolow-117 is typically used for thermal fuse elements, precision mold/tooling fill and specialty heat-sensitive triggers. In short: lowest-melting fusible alloy; melts near 47 °C; contains lead and cadmium.
What is the tensile strength of Cerrolow-117?
Cerrolow-117 has a typical tensile strength of 29 MPa (4.21 ksi) — weaker than 79% of solder & low-melting alloy grades.
Is Cerrolow-117 easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (30/100, worse than 60% of solder & low-melting alloy grades). Machinable only when chilled (dry ice / cold coolant) with very sharp high-rake tools; otherwise it smears, creeps and loads the cutter.
Can Cerrolow-117 be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated not recommended (10/100). Not weldable in any conventional sense — repair or join by simply remelting and re-pouring at 60–80 °C.
What surface finishes work on Cerrolow-117?
No plating or anodizing; surface is soft and tarnishes — protect with lacquer or encapsulate. Handle with gloves and control fume/dust: contains lead and cadmium.
Can Cerrolow-117 be formed, bent or molded?
Cast at 60–90 °C into silicone, plaster or metal moulds; excellent fluidity and fine detail, but expect small dimensional drift from post-solidification growth/creep.
What is the maximum service temperature of Cerrolow-117?
Cerrolow-117 is rated for continuous use to about 30°C (86 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does Cerrolow-117 cost?
Cerrolow-117 is a high-cost solder & low-melting alloy ($$$$), 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
- Fusible (Low-Melting) Alloy Property Tables — Cerrolow / Cerrobend series — Cerro Metal Products / Bolton Metal Products (2018)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 2 — Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys, 'Low-Melting-Point Alloys' — ASM International (1990)
- ASTM B774 — Standard Specification for Low Melting Point Alloys — ASTM International (2016)
- Phase-change and fusible alloy thermophysical data compilations — open literature (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.