Metal Conduction
By Dan Markham Construction • General Information • Uncategorized • • • • 0 Comments

What Are The Main Factors That Affect the Conductivity of Metals?

The conductivity of metals is how much the specific material can transmit sound or heat. The conductivity of the metal you choose will depend on the type of project you are starting. Metals are integrated into our everyday lives, whether it be from the very conductive copper wires that power our homes to the electrical components found in our standard phones. However, have you ever wondered what factors influence the conductivity of metals? Many factors can affect conduction, like temperature, the material used, and any impurities present. This blog post will explore these main factors and why they are essential.

 

How Temperature Affects Conduction

Temperature is one of the main factors that affect conduction in metals. When temperature increases, the atoms move around more in the metal, making it less conductive. On the other hand, when the temperature decreases, particles become stiffer, increasing the conduction. If there is a higher conductivity, it is essential to keep an eye out for corrosion of the metals.

 

The Materials Used

All types of metal are made up of different materials with different conductivity levels. For example, copper, zinc, and iron are great choices if you want a highly electrically conductive material. Underground steel structures like utility piping and pipelines exposed to soil environments are vulnerable to corrosion. Knowing what metal you are using and its conductivity level is important.

 

Conductivity And Impurities In Metal

Any impurity in the metal can affect how much it can conduct. An impurity means there could be a dent or damage to the metal. The atoms that make up the metal will be changed, which can affect the conductivity negatively. Metal alloying, the opposite of conductivity, is when materials are added to the metal to increase its conductivity. Both of these alterations affect how much the metal can conduct. 

 

Contact Markham Metals Today!

Markham Metals is one of the top destinations in New England for all your metalworking needs. The conductivity of metal is important to know; we have an array of different metals, all with different conductivity. Markham Metals has everything you need if you have considered using metal in your next project. We have HR carbon steel, galvanized metal, CF carbon steel, aluminum, and stainless steel. Our experts can assist with any questions and guide you on which metal may be suitable for you. Contact us here for a free quote on your next metal project and see the difference Markham Metals can offer you!

 

A close up of steel bars assembled in the form of a building's frame.
By Dan Markham General Information • • 0 Comments

Which Metal Is The Strongest?

Metals are some of the most abundant materials on Earth. They can be used in a wide variety of applications and are the basic building blocks of our day-to-day lives. With so many metals out there, you might be curious as to which one tops the rest in terms of strength. Actually, the answer to this question is a lot more complicated than you might think! Metals are judged based on several different strength-related characteristics. So, there actually isn’t a concrete answer to this question! However, that doesn’t mean there are metals that stand above the others. We’ve highlighted the strongest metals based on these measurements below.

Tensile Strength: Tungsten

When you talk about tensile strength, tungsten is far and away the strongest metal amongst its counterparts. What is tensile strength? This term refers to a metal’s ability to handle tension. In other words, tensile strength measures how easily something can be pulled apart. Because of its high tensile strength, tungsten is often used in electrical and military applications, where that factor is crucial.

Compressive Strength: Chromium

When you talk about a metal’s compressive strength, it refers to how difficult a metal is to compress. This is actually measured using a set called Moh’s Scale of Hardness. When you look at that scale, chromium is far and away the leader in compressive strength. If you haven’t heard of chromium before, you may know it better as one of the main components of the stainless steel alloy. Anyone that knows stainless steel knows that it’s incredibly useful, and chromium is part of why that is!

Yield Strength: Tungsten

Of course, it would only make sense that the metal with the strongest tensile strength would also have the strongest yield strength. Yield strength is similar to tensile strength in that it revolves around force applied to the metal, but differs in what it actually measures. While tensile strength measures what it takes to tear a metal in half, yield strength measures how much force is needed to permanently deform it. Tungsten is strong in both of these properties.

Impact Strength: Titanium

Impact strength is used to refer to how much impact a metal can withstand before it shatters. This is a unique measurement due to the fact that a lot of the metals that are great in the other categories end up not being as useful here! When it comes to impact strength, titanium is king. It’s one of the least brittle metals out there, which greatly aids it in this area.

Metalworking at Markham Metals

When it comes to all things metal, you can trust the experts at Markham Metals to get the job done right! We offer a wide variety of metalworking services and in-house products for your selection. To learn more and see what we can do for you, fill out a contact form today!