Electrical Conductivity of Pure Metals
The electrical conductivity of pure metals is exceptionally high compared to other materials, which is primarily due to the unique arrangement of atoms in the metallic structure. In a pure metal, atoms are closely packed in a crystal lattice, and their outer electrons are free to move throughout the material. These free electrons, often referred to as a “sea of electrons,” can move easily in response to an applied electric field.
The following table provides a comprehensive list of electrical conductivity values for pure metals in Siemens per meter (S/m) units.
Unless stated otherwise, all values are taken at standard room temperature (approximately 20°C or 68°F) and 1 atmospheric (atm) pressure. (1 atm = 101,325 Pa)
| Aluminum (Al) | 63.6 |
| Antimony (Sb) | 4.4 |
| Barium (Ba) | 5.1 |
| Beryllium (Be) | 46.6 |
| Bismuth (Bi) | 1.6 |
| Cadmium (Cd) | 25.4 |
| Calcium (Ca) | 50.4 |
| Cerium (Ce) | 2.1 |
| Cesium (Cs) | 8.3 |
| Chromium (Cr) | 13.7 |
| Cobalt (Co) | 30.8 |
| Copper (Cu) | 101 |
| Dysprosium (Dy) | 1.9 |
| Erbium (Er) | 2.0 |
| Europium (Eu) | 1.9 |
| Gadolinium (Gd) | 1.3 |
| Gallium (Ga) | 12.7 |
| Gold (Au) | 76.5 |
| Hafnium (Hf) | 5.1 |
| Holmium (Ho) | 2.1 |
| Indium (In) | 21.6 |
| Iridium (Ir) | 36.7 |
| Iron (Fe) | 17.5 |
| Lanthanum (La) | 2.8 |
| Lead (Pb) | 8.2 |
| Lithium (Li) | 18.2 |
| Lutetium (Lu) | 3.0 |
| Magnesium (Mg) | 38.5 |
| Manganese (Mn) | 1.2 |
| Mercury (Hg) | 1.8 |
| Molybdenum (Mo) | 31.5 |
| Neodymium (Nd) | 2.7 |
| Nickel (Ni) | 24.2 |
| Niobium (Nb) | 11.3 |
| Osmium (Os) | 21.3 |
| Palladium (Pd) | 16.1 |
| Platinum (Pt) | 16.1 |
| Polonium (Po) | 4.3 |
| Potassium (K) | 23.3 |
| Praseodymium (Pr) | 2.5 |
| Promethium (Pm) | 2.3 |
| Protactinium (Pa) | 9.7 |
| Rhenium (Re) | 10.0 |
| Rhodium (Rh) | 40.1 |
| Rubidium (Rb) | 13.2 |
| Ruthenium (Ru) | 24.3 |
| Samarium (Sm) | 1.8 |
| Scandium (Sc) | 3.1 |
| Silver (Ag) | 106.6 |
| Sodium (Na) | 35.3 |
| Strontium (Sr) | 12.9 |
| Tantalum (Ta) | 12.9 |
| Terbium (Tb) | 1.5 |
| Thallium (Tl) | 11.5 |
| Thorium (Th) | 11.7 |
| Thulium (Tm) | 2.6 |
| Tin (Sn) | 15.0 |
| Titanium (Ti) | 4.4 |
| Tungsten (W) | 32.0 |
| Uranium (U) | 6.2 |
| Vanadium (V) | 8.6 |
| Ytterbium (Yb) | 6.9 |
| Yttrium (Y) | 2.9 |
| Zinc (Zn) | 28.7 |
| Zirconium (Zr) | 4.0 |
Related Tables
References: 1) Cardarelli, François. Materials Handbook: A Concise Desktop Reference. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2018. 2) CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 97th Edition. United Kingdom: CRC Press, 2016-2017. 3) CRC Materials Science and Engineering Handbook. United States: CRC Press, 2000.