Materials / Compare
Copper C110 vs. Steel AISI 1018
Compare Copper C110 vs. Steel AISI 1018 strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.
| Try it on a partA bracket to run stress or thermal on, free in your browser | Open in LessCAD | Open in LessCAD |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical | ||
| Yield strength | 69MPasourcetypical, 0.5% extension under load | 372MPasourceproducer-stated, cold drawn |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 221MPasourcetypical | 441MPasourceproducer-stated, cold drawn |
| Elongation at break | 55%sourcetypical, 1 in. rod | 15%sourcein 2 in (50.8 mm) |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 117GPasourcetypical | 200GPasourcebase material: AISI 1025 plain carbon steel (MIL-HDBK-5J design value; ASTM A108 bar is the cold-finished carbon-steel bar spec that also covers 1018) |
| Density | 8,913kg/m³sourcenominal | 7,861kg/m³sourcebase material: AISI 1025 plain carbon steel (MIL-HDBK-5J design value; ASTM A108 bar is the cold-finished carbon-steel bar spec that also covers 1018) |
| Strength to weight | 7.74kN·m/kg | 47.3kN·m/kg6.11x higher |
| Stiffness to weight | 13.1MN·m/kg | 25.4MN·m/kg1.93x higher |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.34sourcereference value at room temperature (Wieland-K32 = Cu-ETP = C11000, rolled products) | 0.32sourcebase material: AISI 1025 plain carbon steel (MIL-HDBK-5J design value; ASTM A108 bar is the cold-finished carbon-steel bar spec that also covers 1018) |
| Shear modulus | 43.7GPa | 75.7GPa1.73x stiffer in shear |
| Bulk modulus | 122GPa | 185GPa |
| Speed of sound | 3,626m/s | 5,043m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 391W/m·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C | 51.9W/m·Ksourcebase material: AISI 1025 plain carbon steel (MIL-HDBK-5J design value; ASTM A108 bar is the cold-finished carbon-steel bar spec that also covers 1018) |
| Thermal expansion | 16.9µm/m·Ksourcetypical, mean 20-100 °C | 12µm/m·Ksourcebase material: unalloyed carbon steel, Ovako family table (S275JR, 'none alloyed structural steels', C <= 0.21%); mean 20-300 °C |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 84.5µm growth | 60µm growth41% less |
| Specific heat | 385J/kg·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C | 486J/kg·Ksourcebase material: AISI 1025 plain carbon steel (MIL-HDBK-5J design value; ASTM A108 bar is the cold-finished carbon-steel bar spec that also covers 1018) |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 114mm²/s8.39x faster | 13.6mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | 8,992W/m1.64x more resistant | 5,473W/m |
| Melting point | 1,065–1,083°Csourcesolidus-liquidus | not sourced |
| Values for | C11000 ETP copper, annealed to 0.050 mm grain size (OS050), 1 in. rod, copper.org typical values | AISI 1018 cold drawn bar (Niagara LaSalle, cold-finished bar producer) |
Every value links to the document that states it. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.
Questions
Is Copper C110 stronger than Steel AISI 1018?
Steel AISI 1018 is stronger: its yield strength is 372 MPa against 69 MPa for Copper C110 (5.39x).
Which is lighter, Copper C110 or Steel AISI 1018?
Steel AISI 1018 is lighter: 7,861 kg/m³ against 8,913 kg/m³ for Copper C110.
Which is stiffer, Copper C110 or Steel AISI 1018?
Steel AISI 1018 is stiffer: Young's modulus 200 GPa against 117 GPa for Copper C110, so the same part in Steel AISI 1018 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Copper C110 or Steel AISI 1018?
For the same stiffness or strength: Steel AISI 1018 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate, strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.
| Part that must be | Copper C110 | Steel AISI 1018 |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | 1.93x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 48% heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | 35% heavier | lighter |
| Strong rod or tie | 6.11x heavier | lighter |
| Strong beam | 3.49x heavier | lighter |
| Strong panel or plate | 2.63x heavier | lighter |
For the same stiffness or strength, mass scales with density over stiffness (or strength) raised to a power set by how the part is loaded: 1 for a rod in tension, 1/2 for a beam in bending, 1/3 for a panel (the standard material-selection indices).
Which conducts heat better, Copper C110 or Steel AISI 1018?
Copper C110 conducts heat better: 391 W/m·K against 51.9 W/m·K for Steel AISI 1018.
Which expands less with temperature?
Steel AISI 1018 expands less: 12 µm/m·K against 16.9 µm/m·K for Copper C110.