On May 20, 2021
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What is the strongest metal?
How can you test the strength of metal?
The strength of metal can be measured using different scales; tensile strength, compressive strength, yield strength, surface hardness, and impact strength. Each of the different ways to measure strength have their benefits and disadvantages, so it is worth taking the time to understand the difference between the techniques to help you choose the most appropriate metal for the project depending on which strength characteristic you need.
Tensile strength is a measure of resistance of metal before it breaks, deforms, or fails under pressure. The metal is clamped between two sets of clamps which are then pulled apart to apply a tensile load to the metal, measurements are recorded at differing points of the plastic deformation process; plastic deformation is when a material is permanently distorted and deformed by torsion stress, compression, and bending that causes elongation, twisting, and buckling. Tensile strength tests report three types of tensile strengths.
Tensile yield strength is the strength recorded before the sample begins to plastically deform.
Ultimate tensile strength is a measure of the maximum strength of the metal after plastic deformation has been recorded.
Fracture tensile strength is the recorded strength at the point of complete metal failure. This resistance is measured in psi (pounds per square inch).
Impact strength is the amount of energy a metal can absorb via impact before it shatters, deforms, or snaps. The most commonly used test to determine impact strength is the Charpy V-notch test where a sample of metal has a notch cut into it to correspond with the test standard criteria and is then secured in the V-notch testing equipment. The notch is the specific place the metal will fail when a weighted pendulum is released, and the energy absorbed by the impact is recorded. This test is useful for applications where the metal will be used intentionally to receive repeated impact stress.
Compressive strength is the limit of compression a metal can tolerate before it reaches the point of failure. The metal is placed between two plates and compressed between them, the range of deformation in the metal is compared to the measure of the load applied to give a reading of the maximum load capacity. Compression testing is useful for components made from metals that will be load bearing as maintaining their integrity under compressive force is of paramount importance.
Yield strength is the measurement of the metal’s elasticity. The material is tested for the ability to withstand bending and its ability to return to its original form before reaching the point of failure. The strength scale relates to the point at which the metal is permanently deformed and will not return to its original form once the stress has been removed.
Mohs hardness is an ordinal scale that measures the surface hardness of minerals and materials, this is often also referred to as ‘scratch testing’. Knowing the surface hardness or scratch resistance is useful when selecting materials where damage from abrasion would hinder the desired aesthetic or when wear would compromise the integrity of the component. The Mohs hardness scale ranks talc at 1 as being the softest surface and diamond as 10. The scale has been modified by geologists since it was first used back in 1820, some versions placing diamond at 15- but the convention of Mohs scale remains the most used.
The strongest metals.
Tungsten is often alloyed with steel to create ‘high speed steel’ due to having the top tensile strength of any metal at around 142,000 psi. It is, however, very brittle in its rare form and can shatter with a relatively low impact strength compared to some other metals.
Iridium is a high-density element that belongs to the platinum group of metals, it is extremely brittle and has a melting point in excess of 2,000°C which makes it extremely difficult to work with, however, it has a very high resistance to corrosion which makes it a valuable alloying element.
Steel is probably the best known of the strongest metals and is widely used across industries worldwide. Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon which can be alloyed with a wide range of elements to produce a range of metal grades of varying mechanical and chemical properties suitable for a range of different uses. For example, stainless steel is extremely resistant to corrosion and chromoly steel is stronger than regular low carbon steel because of the added chromium and molybdenum. These additions increase hardenability, corrosion resistance, toughness, and resistance to temperature fluctuations. Two of the strongest grades of steel are EN24T and T45 which are widely used across engineering, aeronautics, and motor sport due to their reliable mechanical properties.
EN24T is a high strength engineering steel that can be heat-treated to produce a variety of different strength alloys for use in harsh environments and heavy-duty industries. EN24T is very popular for use in industries where hardness, tensile strength, and resistance to wear are important such as bolts and shafts, gears and cams, and heavy-duty vehicle axles.
T45 is a seamless manganese steel tube known for its strength and can withstand high levels of G force before failure making it an extremely popular steel for the aeronautical industry as well as for racing cars. It is used for manufacturing anti-roll bars and roll cages where significant strength is needed for safety, however, its incredible strength means the tubes can be manufactured with thinner walls to reduce weight without compromising strength.
Osmium is an extremely dense metal with a very high melting point. Found predominantly in platinum ores, Osmium is extremely strong but brittle, but when alloyed with other platinum group metals it provides high levels of hardness.
Chromium is commonly alloyed with steel because of its hardenability and its resistance to corrosion.
Titanium is a low-density metal with a moderate tensile strength of 63,000 psi. It has the highest ratio for tensile strength versus density of any metal. It is often alloyed with iron or aluminium to make extremely light but extremely strong alloys for use in aeronautics, racing cars and in the cycling industry.
So, which is the strongest metal?
Whilst there are several extraordinarily strong metals, the answer to the question of which is the strongest metal comes down to which metal is most suitable for the proposed application. It is not possible to do a direct comparison between the metals listed because strength and mechanical properties are measured in a variety of ways.
Steel, although not as strong as tungsten or iridium for example, is widely considered to be the metal of choice across engineering, construction, aviation, and transport infrastructure globally. By utilising different strengths and properties of alloying elements, it is possible to produce a grade of steel that meets all the criteria for a project; strength, corrosion resistance, weldability, weight, machinability, and durability without costing the earth as steel can also be repeatedly recycled without losing any of its mechanical or chemical properties.
Today we are looking at the 10 strongest metals in the world. For obvious reasons, it is important for scientists, designers, and engineers to be aware of the properties of the many elemental metals and their myriad alloys.
The strength of a metal or alloy is determined by a number of properties and when choosing a metal it is important that the one chosen has the correct properties for the application, such as CNC Machining. For instance, for overall strength, nothing beats steel. If you want hardness then Tungsten is the one to go for and a close contender to both steel and tungsten, with properties close to both is Titanium.
Of course, Diamond is harder, and Graphene is tougher but we are limiting our list to the 10 strongest metals in the world.
When a material scientist speaks of ‘strength’ they are looking at a number of properties that define them as strong.
When we speak of tensile strength we are looking at the measurement of the force which would be required to pull something such as a cable, wire, rope, or a structural beam such as a girder to the point at which it breaks. The measurement is the maximum amount of stress before breaking, usually measured in pounds per square inch (PSI).
As an example, cookie dough has low tensile strength, and steel has high tensile strength.
This is a measure of how well the material resists being squeezed. In more basic terms it is the hardness of the material. This can also be measured in Psi. Another way to measure compressive strength is the use of the Mohs scale. On this scale of 0-10, 0 is the softest, and 10 is the hardest. Not surprisingly, diamonds are 10 on the scale. Compressive strength is an important property of tooling materials.
Yield strength refers to how well a beam made from a particular metal resists being bending and permanent deformation. This is a very important measurement for structural engineers. Metal will bend to a certain degree and this is the elastic state, a state when the metal will return to its original shape after being bent, a useful property of spring steels. Once the metal has reached the plastic state it has failed. This is measured in Mega Pascals (Mpa)
The ability of a material to resist impact without shattering. Going back to the diamond, it has a Mohs scale of 10 but can be shattered when struck with a hammer. Whereas steel can be struck with a hammer without shattering, the hammerhead itself is steel.
So now that we’ve looked at the properties let’s list the 10 strongest metals in the world. But first, let’s be clear, most of these ‘metals’ are in fact not classed as metals. Alloys are combinations of metals, and the main reason for making alloys is to produce a stronger material – see diagram below.
The most important alloy is steel, which is a combination of iron and carbon and is much harder than either of its two elemental components. Metallurgists create alloys of most metals, even steel, and they belong on lists of the hardest metals. We’ll go ahead and call all these metals as they are still composed primarily of elemental metals.
Diagram showing what makes an alloy stronger than pure metalThis alloy of Iron and Carbon (hence the name) has been with us for centuries. It is also a very widely used metal and we could indeed be said to be in the steel age. Carbon steel scores highly for all four of the properties which define strength.
Steel can be up to 1000 times stronger than iron
There are a few variations of this but in general mixing carbon steel with nickel increases the yield and tensile strength of this alloy to far above those of plain old carbon steel.
Iron and nickel are the most abundant metals in metallic meteorites and in the dense metal cores of planets such as Earth.
This is a special alloy of steel, chromium, and manganese. This mixing produces a corrosion-resistant metal with amazing properties, for instance, 304 stainless steel. Its properties make it good for Turning and Milling. You can check out all the stainless steel alloys we stock here.
If you have a chunk of stainless steel laying around, you can use it to de-stink your hands after chopping garlic and onions.
Known in the old days as Wolfram, this very special metal has the highest tensile strength of any naturally occurring metal. Not used often in its natural state as it is brittle and prone to shattering under the impact. That is why it is alloyed with other metals and alloys to create even stronger alloys.
Tungsten RingTungsten Carbide saw bladeTungsten Carbide machining toolsTungsten has the highest melting point of any of the metals at 6191.6 °F, to be exact.
As we explained above, tungsten is naturally very brittle, so it has to be alloyed with another material. Combining with Carbon produces Tungsten Carbide. The hardness of This material makes it ideal for use in tools with cutting edges, from common knives to circular saw blades to drill bits, and of course in the CNC machining industry.
The military uses tungsten to make bullets and missiles used in “kinetic bombardment.” This type of attack uses a super dense material to breach armor instead of explosives.
Often used in the aerospace industry due to being pound-for-pound, the strongest metal in the world. Pure titanium has a low yield strength of around 275 to 580 Mpa. It is therefore usually alloyed to produce stronger variations.
Titanium is the only element that will burn in pure nitrogen gas, no oxygen required.
This specialized alloy is also known as Gamma Titanium Aluminide is composed of Titanium, Aluminum, and Vanadium. Titanium aluminide alloys offer superior high-temperature performance with low weight for turbine blades and are as strong as nickel-based alloys, but at only half the weight.
Replacing the titanium turbine blades of a jet engine with an exact replica in titanium aluminide increases the thrust ratio because the engine is able to run over 300°F hotter.
You may have never heard of this alloy but this superalloy is one of the 10 strongest metals in the world. A mixture of Austenite, Nickle, and Chromium. It is a specialized alloy that keeps its strength in extreme conditions such as high temperatures. This ability makes it ideal for high-speed turbines and nuclear reactor applications.
Inconel® is a registered trademark of Special Metals Corporation.
This shiny, super hard metal is too brittle to be used by itself for many applications. It is therefore alloyed with other metals to make it harder. In its natural state, it is the hardest metal there is. Ideal for electroplating.
The weapons of the famous Terracotta Army of the Qin Dynasty in China were tipped with chromium deposits, which helped prevent tarnishing.
We left this particularly strong metal alloy for last. And for good reason, scientists are still experimenting with various magnesium alloys to create new alloys. This has already been termed the strongest and lightest metal there is. Lighter than Aluminum and stronger than titanium alloys. If the metal is used in cars it would automatically save 40% on fuel without any modification to the engine.
There are so many alloys being created that giving tensile or yield strength figures would be outdated within months. Just know this – pound-for-pound, there is nothing stronger.
Apple is reportedly working on its own magnesium alloy for use as the frame for their phones, laptops, and tablets.
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