Copper C12200 vs. Titanium Ti-6Al-4V

Compare Copper C12200 vs. Titanium Ti-6Al-4V strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

Mechanical	Copper C12200	Titanium Ti-6Al-4V
Yield strength	69MPa1	885MPa212.8x stronger
Ultimate tensile strength	221MPa1	940MPa24.25x stronger
Elongation at break	45%12.81x more ductile	16%2
Young's modulus (stiffness)	117GPa1	107–122GPa3
Density	8,941kg/m³1	4,430kg/m³22.02x lighter
Strength to weight	7.72kN·m/kg	200kN·m/kg25.9x higher
Stiffness to weight	13.1MN·m/kg	25.8MN·m/kg1.97x higher
Poisson's ratio	0.344	0.3422
Shear modulus	43.7GPa3% stiffer in shear	42.7GPa
Bulk modulus	122GPa1% higher	121GPa
Speed of sound	3,621m/s	5,084m/s40% faster

Stiffness against densityHigher and further left: stiffer for its weight

Strength against densityHigher and further left: stronger for its weight

Thermal	Copper C12200	Titanium Ti-6Al-4V
Thermal conductivity	339W/m·K151.4x more heat through a fin	6.6W/m·K3
Thermal expansion	16.9µm/m·K1	9µm/m·K31.88x less
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing	84.5µm growth	45µm growth1.88x less
Specific heat	385J/kg·K1	580J/kg·K31.51x higher
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)	98.5mm²/s38.3x faster	2.57mm²/s
Thermal shock resistance	7,799W/m2.09x more resistant	3,730W/m
Melting point	liquidus1,083°C1	melting range1,630–1,650°C2
Max service temperature	not sourced	400°C2

Thermal conductivity against densityHigher and further left: spreads more heat for its weight

Thermal expansion against thermal conductivityLower and further right: warps less when heated

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Sources4 documents: Copper Development Association, TIMET, Wieland

Copper C12200: C12200 phosphorus-deoxidized copper (DHP, the air-conditioning and refrigeration tube copper), tube annealed to 0.050 mm grain size (OS050), 0.065 in. wall, copper.org typical values
Titanium Ti-6Al-4V: TIMETAL 6-4 (Ti-6Al-4V Grade 5) annealed plate typical (TIMET properties manual) + TIMET datasheet TMC-0150 physical properties

1
C12200 Alloy (copper.org)Copper Development Associationarchived copyCopper C12200 · Yield strength: typical, 0.5% extension under load, 0.065 in. tubeCopper C12200 · Ultimate tensile strength: typical, 0.065 in. tubeCopper C12200 · Elongation at break: typical, 0.065 in. tubeCopper C12200 · Young's modulus (stiffness): typicalCopper C12200 · Density: nominalCopper C12200 · Thermal conductivity: typical, 20 °CCopper C12200 · Thermal expansion: typical, mean 20-100 °CCopper C12200 · Specific heat: typical, 20 °CCopper C12200 · Melting point: liquidus
2
TIMETAL 6-4 PropertiesTIMETarchived copyTitanium Ti-6Al-4V · Yield strength: typical, plate (>0.187 in), annealed, 0.2% offsetTitanium Ti-6Al-4V · Ultimate tensile strength: typical, plate, annealedTitanium Ti-6Al-4V · Elongation at break: typical, in 2 in., plate annealedTitanium Ti-6Al-4V · Density: nominalTitanium Ti-6Al-4V · Poisson's ratio: mean of TIMET measurementsTitanium Ti-6Al-4V · Melting point: melting rangeTitanium Ti-6Al-4V · Max service temperature: upper recommended use temperature
3
TIMETAL 6-4 Data SheetTIMETarchived copyTitanium Ti-6Al-4V · Young's modulus (stiffness): typical range, 20 °CTitanium Ti-6Al-4V · Thermal conductivity: typical, 20 °C, mill annealedTitanium Ti-6Al-4V · Thermal expansion: typical, mean 0-100 °CTitanium Ti-6Al-4V · Specific heat: typical, 20 °C
4
Wieland-K19 (Cu-DHP, C12200) Data SheetWielandarchived copyCopper C12200 · Poisson's ratio: reference value at room temperature (Wieland-K19 = Cu-DHP = C12200, rolled products)

Each number points to the document that states it, with the exact basis. Values without a number are computed from the sourced ones. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.

Questions

Mechanical

Is Copper C12200 stronger than Titanium Ti-6Al-4V?

Titanium Ti-6Al-4V is stronger: its yield strength is 885 MPa against 69 MPa for Copper C12200 (12.8x).

Which is lighter, Copper C12200 or Titanium Ti-6Al-4V?

Titanium Ti-6Al-4V is lighter: 4,430 kg/m³ against 8,941 kg/m³ for Copper C12200.

Which is stiffer, Copper C12200 or Titanium Ti-6Al-4V?

Copper C12200 is stiffer: Young's modulus 117 GPa against 115 GPa for Titanium Ti-6Al-4V, so the same part in Copper C12200 deflects less under the same load.

Which is lighter for the same job, Copper C12200 or Titanium Ti-6Al-4V?

For the same stiffness or strength: Titanium Ti-6Al-4V 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 C12200	Titanium Ti-6Al-4V
Stiff rod or tie (tension)	1.97x heavier	lighter
Stiff beam (bending)	1.99x heavier	lighter
Stiff panel or plate	2x heavier	lighter
Strong rod or tie	25.9x heavier	lighter
Strong beam	11.1x heavier	lighter
Strong panel or plate	7.23x 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 is more ductile, Copper C12200 or Titanium Ti-6Al-4V?

Copper C12200 stretches further before it breaks: 45% elongation at break against 16% for Titanium Ti-6Al-4V.

Thermal

Which conducts heat better, Copper C12200 or Titanium Ti-6Al-4V?

Copper C12200 conducts heat better: 339 W/m·K against 6.6 W/m·K for Titanium Ti-6Al-4V.

Which expands less with temperature?

Titanium Ti-6Al-4V expands less: 9 µm/m·K against 16.9 µm/m·K for Copper C12200.