Fourier conduction
q = -k x dT/dx
Material property lookup
Thermal Conductivity of Common Materials
Compare how quickly heat conducts through metals, plastics, ceramics, wood, concrete, and air.
Instant heat-transfer lookup
Select a material or case
Select a material to view thermal conductivity in SI and imperial units.
Selected value
Reference table
Thermal conductivity table
| Material | Group | k (W/m.K) | k (Btu/hr.ft.deg F) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silver | Metal | 429 | 248 | Very high thermal conductivity |
| Copper | Metal | 401 | 232 | Common heat-transfer metal |
| Aluminum | Metal | 237 | 137 | Lightweight conductor |
| Brass | Metal | 109 | 63 | Varies by alloy |
| Carbon Steel | Metal | 50 | 29 | Typical carbon steel |
| Stainless Steel | Metal | 16 | 9.2 | Lower than carbon steel |
| Concrete | Construction | 1.7 | 0.98 | Mix and moisture dependent |
| Glass | Ceramic | 1.05 | 0.61 | Soda-lime reference |
| Polyethylene (PE) | Polymer | 0.40 | 0.23 | Grade dependent |
| PVC | Polymer | 0.19 | 0.11 | Rigid PVC reference |
| Wood | Wood | 0.15 | 0.087 | Direction and moisture dependent |
| Air | Fluid | 0.026 | 0.015 | Near room temperature |
Formulas
Thermal conductivity formulas
Plane wall
Q = k x A x Delta T / L
Thermal conductivity varies with temperature, alloy, moisture, and material structure. Use project-specific data for final heat-transfer design.
Reference
How engineers use thermal conductivity
Heat sinks
High-conductivity materials move heat away from hot components.
Insulation
Low-conductivity materials reduce heat transfer.
Building physics
Conductivity is used in wall, roof, and glazing heat-loss calculations.
Thermal gradients
Conductivity controls temperature drop through solids.
FAQ
Thermal conductivity questions
What material has high thermal conductivity?
Silver, copper, and aluminum are common high-conductivity materials.
What is thermal conductivity of copper?
A common reference value for copper is about 401 W/(m.K).
Do plastics conduct heat well?
Most unfilled plastics have low thermal conductivity compared with metals.
Related
Common material property tables
Bulk Modulus of Common Materials
Bulk modulus values for common solids and fluids used in compressibility checks.
Density of Common Materials
Density values for metals, polymers, ceramics, and construction materials.
Friction Coefficients of Common Materials
Static and kinetic friction coefficients for common material pairs.
Hardness Conversion Table
Approximate Rockwell, Brinell, Vickers, and tensile strength conversion values.
Melting Point of Common Materials
Melting point reference values for common metals, plastics, and engineering materials.
Poisson's Ratio of Common Materials
Poisson ratio values for common engineering solids.