Thermal Conductivity of common Materials and Gases

Thermal conductivity of gases, insulation products, aluminum, asphalt, brass, c

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Thermal conductivity is a material property that describes ability to conduct hea
"the quantity of heat transmitted through a unit thickness of a material - in a dire
a unit temperature gradient under steady state conditions"
Thermal conductivity units are [W/(m K)] in the SI system and [Btu/(hr ft °F)] in t
See also thermal conductivity variations with temperature and pressure, for: Air
Thermal conductivity for common materials and products:

Thermal Conductivity
-k-
W/(m K)

Material/Substance

Acetone
Acetylene (gas)
Acrylic
Air, atmosphere (gas)
Air, elevation 10000 m
Agate
Alcohol
Aluminum
Aluminum Brass
Aluminum Oxide
Ammonia (gas)
Antimony
Apple (85.6% moisture)
Argon (gas)
Asbestos-cement board
Asbestos-cement sheets
Asbestos-cement
Asbestos, loosely packed
 Asbestos mill board
Asphalt
Balsa wood
Bitumen
Bitumen/felt layers
Beef, lean (78.9 % moisture)
Benzene
Beryllium
Bismuth
Bitumen
Blast furnace gas (gas)
Boiler scale
Brass
Breeze block
Brick dense
Brick, fire
Brick, insulating
Brickwork, common (Building Brick)
Brickwork, dense
Bromine (gas)
Bronze
Brown iron ore
Butter (15% moisture content)
Cadmium
Calcium silicate
Carbon
Carbon dioxide (gas)
Carbon monoxide
Cast iron

Cellulose, cotton, wood pulp and regenerated

Cellulose acetate, molded, sheet

Cellulose nitrate, celluloid
Cement, Portland
Cement, mortar
Ceramic materials
Chalk
 Charcoal
Chlorinated poly-ether
Chlorine (gas)
Chrome Nickel Steel
Chromium
Chrom-oxide
Clay, dry to moist
Clay, saturated
Coal
Cobalt
Cod (83% moisture content)
Coke
Concrete, lightweight
Concrete, medium
Concrete, dense
Concrete, stone
Constantan
Copper
Corian (ceramic filled)
Cork board
Cork, re-granulated
Cork
Cotton
Cotton wool
Carbon Steel
Cotton Wool insulation
Diamond
Diatomaceous earth (Sil-o-cel)
Diatomite
Duralium
Earth, dry
Ebonite
Emery
Engine Oil
Ethane (gas)
Ether
Ethylene (gas)
 Epoxy
Ethylene glycol
Feathers
Felt insulation
Fiberglass
Fiber insulating board
Fiber hardboard
Fire-clay brick 500oC
Fluorine (gas)
Foam glass
Dichlorodifluoromethane R-12 (gas)
Dichlorodifluoromethane R-12 (liquid)
Gasoline
Glass
Glass, Pearls, dry
Glass, Pearls, saturated
Glass, window
Glass, wool Insulation
Glycerol
Gold
Granite
Graphite
Gravel
Ground or soil, very moist area
Ground or soil, moist area
Ground or soil, dry area
Ground or soil, very dry area
Gypsum board
Hairfelt
Hardboard high density
Hardwoods (oak, maple..)
Helium (gas)
Honey (12.6% moisture content)
Hydrochloric acid (gas)
Hydrogen (gas)
Hydrogen sulfide (gas)
Ice (0oC, 32oF)
 Ingot iron
Insulation materials
Iodine
Iridium
Iron
Iron-oxide
Kapok insulation
Kerosene
Krypton (gas)
Lead
Leather, dry
Limestone
Lithium
Magnesia insulation (85%)
Magnesite
Magnesium
Magnesium alloy
Marble
Mercury, liquid
Methane (gas)
Methanol
Mica
Milk
Mineral wool insulation materials, wool blankets ..
Molybdenum
Monel
Neon (gas)
Neoprene
Nickel
Nitric oxide (gas)
Nitrogen (gas)
Nitrous oxide (gas)
Nylon 6, Nylon 6/6
Oil, machine lubricating SAE 50
Olive oil
Oxygen (gas)
Palladium
 Paper
Paraffin Wax
Peat
Perlite, atmospheric pressure
Perlite, vacuum
Phenolic cast resins
Phenol-formaldehyde moulding compounds
Phosphorbronze
Pinchbeck
Pitch
Pit coal
Plaster light
Plaster, metal lath
Plaster, sand
Plaster, wood lath
Plasticine
Plastics, foamed (insulation materials)
Platinum
Plutonium
Plywood
Polycarbonate
Polyester
Polyethylene low density, PEL
Polyethylene high density, PEH
Polyisoprene natural rubber
Polyisoprene hard rubber
Polymethylmethacrylate
Polypropylene, PP
Polystyrene, expanded styrofoam
Polystyrol
Polyurethane foam
Porcelain
Potassium
Potato, raw flesh
Propane (gas)
Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)
Polyvinylchloride, PVC
 Pyrex glass
Quartz mineral
Radon (gas)
Red metal
Rhenium
Rhodium
Rock, solid
Rock, porous volcanic (Tuff)
Rock Wool insulation
Rosin
Rubber, cellular
Rubber, natural
Rubidium
Salmon (73% moisture content)
Sand, dry
Sand, moist
Sand, saturated
Sandstone
Sawdust
Selenium
Sheep wool
Silica aerogel
Silicon cast resin
Silicon carbide
Silicon oil
Silver
Slag wool
Slate
Snow (temp < 0oC)
Sodium
Softwoods (fir, pine ..)
Soil, clay
Soil, with organic matter
Soil, saturated
Soot
Steam, saturated
Steam, low pressure
 Steatite
Steel, Carbon
Steel, Stainless
Straw slab insulation, compressed
Styrofoam
Sulfur dioxide (gas)
Sulfur, crystal
Sugars
Tantalum
Tar
Tellurium
Thorium
Timber, alder
Timber, ash
Timber, birch
Timber, larch
Timber, maple
Timber, oak
Timber, pitchpine
Timber, pockwood
Timber, red beech
Timber, red pine
Timber, white pine
Timber, walnut
Tin
Titanium
Tungsten
Uranium
Urethane foam
Vacuum
Vermiculite granules
Vinyl ester
Water
Water, vapor (steam)
Wax
Wheat flour
White metal
 Wood across the grain, white pine
Wood across the grain, balsa
Wood across the grain, yellow pine, timber
Wood, oak
Wool, felt
Wood wool, slab
Xenon (gas)
Zinc

• 1 W/(m K) = 1 W/(m oC) = 0.85984 kcal/(h m oC) = 0.5779 Btu/(ft h oF) = 0.04
• Unit converter - thermal conductivity
• What is conductive heat transfer?
Example - Conductive Heat Transfer through an Aluminum Pot versus a Stainle

The conductive heat transfer through a pot wall can be calculated as

q = (k / s) A dT (1)
or alternatively
q / A = (k / s) dT
where
q = heat transfer (W, Btu/h)
A = surface area (m2, ft2)
q / A = heat transfer per unit area (W/m2, Btu/(h ft2))
k = thermal conductivity (W/mK, Btu/(hr ft °F))
dT = t1 - t2 = temperature difference (oC, oF)
s = wall thickness (m, ft)
Note! - that the overall heat transfer through a surface is determined by the "ove
addition to conductive heat transfer - depends on
• the convective heat transfer coefficients on the inside and outside of the surfa
• the radiant heat transfer coefficients on the inside and outside of the surfaces
• Overall Heat Transfer Calculator
Conductive Heat Transfer through an Aluminum Pot Wall with thickness 2 mm -
Thermal conductivity for aluminum is 215 W/(m K) (from the table above). Cond
calculated as
q / A = [(215 W/(m K)) / (2 10-3 m)] (80 oC)
= 8600000 (W/m2)
= 8600 (kW/m2)
Conductive Heat Transfer through a Stainless Steel Pot Wall with thickness 2 m
Thermal conductivity for stainless steel is 17 W/(m K) (from the table above). C
calculated as
q / A = [(17 W/(m K)) / (2 10-3 m)] (80 oC)
= 680000 (W/m2)
= 680 (kW/m2)
nd Gases
ucts, aluminum, asphalt, brass, copper, steel and other common materials

at describes ability to conduct heat. Thermal conductivity can be defined as

t thickness of a material - in a direction normal to a surface of unit area - due to
e conditions"
e SI system and [Btu/(hr ft °F)] in the Imperial system.
emperature and pressure, for: Air, Ammonia, Carbon Dioxide and Water
nd products:

ermal Conductivity
-k-
W/(m K)
Temperature
25 oC 125 oC 225 oC
(77 oF) (257 oF) (437 oF)
Acetals 0.23
0.16
0.018
0.2
0.0262 0.0333 0.0398
0.02
10.9
0.17

121
30
0.0249 0.0369 0.0528
18.5
0.39
0.016
0.744
0.166
2.07
0.15
 0.14
0.75
0.048
0.17
0.5
0.43 - 0.48
0.16

8.1
0.17
0.02
1.2 - 3.5

0.10 - 0.20
1.31
0.47
0.15
0.6 -1.0
1.6
0.004

0.58
0.2

0.05
1.7
0.0146
0.0232

0.23

0.17 - 0.33
0.12 - 0.21
0.29
1.73

0.09
 0.084
0.13
0.0081
16.3

0.42
0.15 - 1.8
0.6 - 2.5
0.2

0.54
0.184
0.1 - 0.3
0.4 - 0.7
1.0 - 1.8
1.7
23.3

1.06
0.043
0.044
0.07
0.04
0.029

0.029
1000
0.06
0.12

1.5
0.17
11.6
0.15
0.018
0.14
0.017
 0.35
0.25
0.034
0.04
0.04
0.048
0.2
1.4
0.0254
0.045
0.007
0.09
0.15
1.05
0.18
0.76
0.96
0.04
0.28

1.7 - 4.0
168
0.7
1.4
1
0.5
0.33
0.17
0.05
0.15
0.16
0.142
0.5
0.013
0.168
0.013
2.18
 47 - 58
0.035 - 0.16
0.44
147

0.58
0.034
0.15
0.0088

0.14
1.26 - 1.33

0.07
4.15

70 - 145
2.08 - 2.94

0.03
0.21
0.71
0.53
0.04

0.046
0.05

0.0238
0.024
0.0151
0.25
0.15
0.17
0.024
70.9
 0.05
0.25
0.08
0.031
0.00137
0.15
0.13 - 0.25
110
159
0.13
0.24
0.2
0.47
0.71
0.28
0.65 - 0.8
0.03

0.13
0.19
0.05
0.33
0.42 - 0.51
0.13
0.16
0.17 - 0.25
0.1 - 0.22
0.03
0.043
0.03
1.5
1
0.55
0.015
0.25
0.19
 1.005
3
0.0033

2-7
0.5 - 2.5
0.045
0.32
0.045
0.13

0.5
0.15 - 0.25
0.25 - 2
4-7
1.7
0.08

0.039
0.02
0.15 - 0.32
120
0.1

0.042
2.01
0.05 - 0.25

0.12
1.1
0.15 - 2
0.6 - 4
0.07
0.0184
0.0188
 2

0.09
0.033
0.0086
0.2
0.087 - 0.22

0.19
4.9

0.17
0.16
0.14
0.12
0.16
0.17
0.14
0.19
0.14
0.15
0.15
0.15

0.021
0
0.065
0.25
0.606
0.0267 0.0359
0.084
0.45
35 - 70
 0.12
0.055
0.147
0.17
0.07
0.1 - 0.15
0.0051

m oC) = 0.5779 Btu/(ft h oF) = 0.048 Btu/(in h oF) = 6.935 (Btu in)/(ft² h °F)

an Aluminum Pot versus a Stainless Steel Pot

all can be calculated as

1)

(h ft2))
)
 surface is determined by the "overall heat transfer coefficient" - which in
on
he inside and outside of the surfaces
nside and outside of the surfaces

m Pot Wall with thickness 2 mm - temperature difference 80oC

m K) (from the table above). Conductive heat transfer per unit area can be

Steel Pot Wall with thickness 2 mm - temperature difference 80oC

W/(m K) (from the table above). Conductive heat transfer per unit area can be
 Metal, Metallic Element or Alloy

Aluminum
"
"
"
"
Aluminum - Duralumin (94-96% Al, 3-5% Cu, trace Mg)
Aluminum - Silumin (87% Al, 13% Si)
Antimony
"
"
"
"
Beryllium
"
"
"
"
"
"
Beryllium Copper
Bismuth
"
Boron
"
"
"
"
"
"
Cadmium
"
 "
Cesium
"
Chromium
"
"
"
"
"
"
Cobalt
"
"
Copper
"
"
"
"
"
"
Copper - Admiralty Brass
Copper - Aluminum Bronze (95% Cu, 5% Al)
Copper - Bronze (75% Cu, 25% Sn)
Copper - Brass (Yellow Brass) (70% Cu, 30% Zn)
Copper - Cartridge brass (UNS C26000)
Copper - Constantan (60% Cu, 40% Ni)
Copper - German Silver (62% Cu, 15% Ni, 22% Zn)

Copper - Phosphor bronze (10% Sn, UNS C52400)

Copper - Red Brass (85% Cu, 9% Sn, 6%Zn)
Cupronickel
Germanium
"
"
"
 "
"
"
Gold
"
"
"
"
"
"
Hafnium
"
"
"
"
"
"
Inconel
Incoloy
Indium
"
"
Iridium
"
"
"
"
"
"
Iron
"
"
"
"
"
"
 Iron - Cast
Iron - Nodular pearlitic
Iron - Wrought
Lead
"
"
"
Lithium
"
"
Magnesium
"
"
"
"
Manganese
"
Mercury
Molybdenum
"
"
"
"
"
"
Monel
Nickel
"
"
"
"
"
"
Nickel - Wrought
Niobium (Columbium)
 "
"
"
"
"
"
Osmium
Palladium
Platinum
"
"
"
"
"
"
Plutonium
Potassium
"
"
Rhenium
"
"
"
"
"
"
Rhodium
"
"
"
"
"
"
Rubidium
"
Selenium
 Silicon
"
"
"
"
"
"
Silver
"
"
"
"
"
"
Sodium
"
Steel - Carbon, 0.5% C
Steel - Carbon, 1% C
Steel - Carbon, 1.5% C
"
"
Steel - Chrome, 1% Cr
Steel - Chrome, 5% Cr
Steel - Chrome, 10% Cr
Steel - Chrome Nickel, 15% Cr, 10% Ni
Steel - Chrome Nickel, 20% Cr, 15% Ni
Steel - Hastelloy B
Steel - Hastelloy C
Steel - Nickel, 10% Ni
Steel - Nickel, 20% Ni
Steel - Nickel, 40% Ni
Steel - Nickel, 60% Ni
Steel - Nickel Chrome, 80% Ni, 15% Ni
Steel - Nickel Chrome, 40% Ni, 15% Ni
Steel - Manganese, 1% Mn
Steel - Stainless, Type 304
Steel - Stainless, Type 347
Steel - Tungsten, 1% W
Steel - Wrought Carbon
Tantalum
"
"
"
"
"
"
Thorium
Tin
"
"
Titanium
"
"
"
"
"
"
Tungsten
"
"
"
"
"
"
Uranium
"
"
"
"
"
"
Vanadium
 "
"
"
"
"
"
Zinc
"
"
"
Zirconium
"
"
"
"
"
"

Thermal Conductivity Online Converter

Temperature Thermal Conductivity
-t- -k-
(oC) (W/m K)
-73 237
0 236
127 240
327 232
527 220
20 164
20 164
-73 30.2
0 25.5
127 21.2
327 18.2
527 16.8
-73 301
0 218
127 161
327 126
527 107
727 89
927 73
20 66
-73 9.7
0 8.2
-73 52.5
0 31.7
127 18.7
327 11.3
527 8.1
727 6.3
927 5.2
-73 99.3
0 97.5
127 94.7
-73 36.8
0 36.1
-73 111
0 94.8
127 87.3
327 80.5
527 71.3
727 65.3
927 62.4
-73 122
0 104
127 84.8
-73 413
0 401
127 392
327 383
527 371
727 357
927 342
20 111
20 83
20 26
20 111
20 120
20 22.7
20 24.9

20 50
20 61
20 29
-73 96.8
0 66.7
127 43.2
327 27.3
 527 19.8
727 17.4
927 17.4
-73 327
0 318
127 312
327 304
527 292
727 278
927 262
-73 24.4
0 23.3
127 22.3
327 21.3
527 20.8
727 20.7
927 20.9
21 - 100 15
0 – 100 12
-73 89.7
0 83.7
127 75.5
-73 153
0 148
127 144
327 138
527 132
727 126
927 120
-73 94
0 83.5
127 69.4
327 54.7
527 43.3
727 32.6
927 28.2
 20 52
100 31
20 59
-73 36.6
0 35.5
127 33.8
327 31.2
-73 88.1
0 79.2
127 72.1
-73 159
0 157
127 153
327 149
527 146
-73 7.17
0 7.68
-73 28.9
-73 143
0 139
127 134
327 126
527 118
727 112
927 105
0 – 100 26
-73 106
0 94
127 80.1
327 65.5
527 67.4
727 71.8
927 76.1
0 – 100 61 – 90
-73 52.6
 0 53.3
127 55.2
327 58.2
527 61.3
727 64.4
927 67.5
20 61
75.5
-73 72.4
0 71.5
127 71.6
327 73
527 75.5
727 78.6
927 82.6
20 8
-73 104
0 104
127 52
-73 51
0 48.6
127 46.1
327 44.2
527 44.1
727 44.6
927 45.7
-73 154
0 151
127 146
327 136
527 127
727 121
927 115
-73 58.9
0 58.3
20 0.52
-73 264
0 168
127 98.9
327 61.9
527 42.2
727 31.2
927 25.7
-73 403
0 428
127 420
327 405
527 389
727 374
927 358
-73 138
0 135
20 54
20 43
20 36
400 36
122 33
20 61
20 40
20 31
20 19
20 15.1
20 10
21 8.7
20 26
20 19
20 10
20 19
20 17
20 11.6
20 50
20 14.4
 20 14.3
20 66
0 59
-73 57.5
0 57.4
127 57.8
327 58.9
527 59.4
727 60.2
927 61
20 42
-73 73.3
0 68.2
127 62.2
-73 24.5
0 22.4
127 20.4
327 19.4
527 19.7
727 20.7
927 22
-73 197
0 182
127 162
327 39
527 128
727 121
927 115
-73 25.1
0 27
127 29.6
327 34
527 38.8
727 43.9
927 49
-73 31.5
 0 31.3
427 32.1
327 34.2
527 36.3
727 38.6
927 41.2
-73 123
0 122
127 116
327 105
-73 25.2
0 23.2
127 21.6
327 20.7
527 21.6
727 23.7
927 25.7