Materials / Compare
Copper C110 vs. Steel AISI 1045
Compare Copper C110 vs. Steel AISI 1045 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 | 531MPasourceproducer-stated, cold drawn |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 221MPasourcetypical | 627MPasourceproducer-stated, cold drawn |
| Elongation at break | 55%sourcetypical, 1 in. rod | 12%sourcein 2 in (50.8 mm) |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 117GPasourcetypical | 210GPasourcetypical1.79x stiffer |
| Density | 8,913kg/m³sourcenominal | 7,800kg/m³sourcetypical |
| Strength to weight | 7.74kN·m/kg | 68.1kN·m/kg8.79x higher |
| Stiffness to weight | 13.1MN·m/kg | 26.9MN·m/kg2.05x higher |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.34sourcereference value at room temperature (Wieland-K32 = Cu-ETP = C11000, rolled products) | 0.3sourcetypical |
| Shear modulus | 43.7GPa | 80.8GPa1.85x stiffer in shear |
| Bulk modulus | 122GPa | 175GPa |
| Speed of sound | 3,626m/s | 5,189m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 391W/m·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C | 40–45W/m·Ksourcetypical range, ambient |
| Thermal expansion | 16.9µm/m·Ksourcetypical, mean 20-100 °C | 12µm/m·Ksourcetypical, 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 | 460–480J/kg·Ksourcetypical range, 50/100 °C |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 114mm²/s9.83x faster | 11.6mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | 8,992W/m43% more resistant | 6,269W/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 1045 cold drawn bar (Niagara LaSalle) for mechanical; Ovako C45 (lists 'SAE 1045' as a similar designation) for physical constants |
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 1045?
Steel AISI 1045 is stronger: its yield strength is 531 MPa against 69 MPa for Copper C110 (7.7x).
Which is lighter, Copper C110 or Steel AISI 1045?
Steel AISI 1045 is lighter: 7,800 kg/m³ against 8,913 kg/m³ for Copper C110.
Which is stiffer, Copper C110 or Steel AISI 1045?
Steel AISI 1045 is stiffer: Young's modulus 210 GPa against 117 GPa for Copper C110, so the same part in Steel AISI 1045 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Copper C110 or Steel AISI 1045?
For the same stiffness or strength: Steel AISI 1045 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 1045 |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | 2.05x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 1.53x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | 39% heavier | lighter |
| Strong rod or tie | 8.79x heavier | lighter |
| Strong beam | 4.45x heavier | lighter |
| Strong panel or plate | 3.17x 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 1045?
Copper C110 conducts heat better: 391 W/m·K against 42.5 W/m·K for Steel AISI 1045.
Which expands less with temperature?
Steel AISI 1045 expands less: 12 µm/m·K against 16.9 µm/m·K for Copper C110.