Thermal Properties of Materials

Thermal conductivity (k, how fast heat flows), linear coefficient of thermal expansion (α, how much a material grows per degree), specific heat capacity (cp, energy to warm it), and thermal diffusivity (α = k/(ρ·cp), how quickly temperature changes propagate) for common metals, building materials, and fluids. Click a column heading to sort. These are representative values at room temperature — thermal properties shift with temperature, alloy, and grade.

		α (µm/m·K)		Diffusivity (m²/s)	Condition	Source
Dry air	0.026	—	1,005	2.15×10⁻⁵	25 °C, 1 atm	CRC Handbook / ASM
Water (pure)	0.606	—	4,186	1.45×10⁻⁷	25 °C, liquid	CRC Handbook / ASM
Brick	0.7	5.5	840	—	common building brick	CRC Handbook / ASM
Glass (window)	1	8.5	840	4.76×10⁻⁷	room temp	CRC Handbook / ASM
Concrete	1.7	12	880	8.05×10⁻⁷	cured, typical	CRC Handbook / ASM
Ice	2.2	51	2,090	1.15×10⁻⁶	0 °C, solid	CRC Handbook / ASM
Stainless steel	16	17.3	500	4×10⁻⁶	304, room temp	CRC Handbook / ASM
Titanium	22	8.6	523	9.34×10⁻⁶	room temp	CRC Handbook / ASM
Lead	35	28.9	129	2.4×10⁻⁵	room temp	CRC Handbook / ASM
Carbon steel	50	12	490	1.3×10⁻⁵	mild steel, room temp	CRC Handbook / ASM
Bronze	60	18	376	1.81×10⁻⁵	room temp, typical	CRC Handbook / ASM
Iron	80	11.8	449	2.26×10⁻⁵	room temp	CRC Handbook / ASM
Nickel	91	13	444	—	room temp	CRC Handbook / ASM
Brass	109	19	380	3.37×10⁻⁵	room temp, typical	CRC Handbook / ASM
Zinc	116	30.2	388	—	room temp	CRC Handbook / ASM
Aluminum	237	23.1	897	9.79×10⁻⁵	room temp	CRC Handbook / ASM
Gold	318	14.2	129	1.28×10⁻⁴	room temp	CRC Handbook / ASM
Copper	401	16.5	385	1.16×10⁻⁴	room temp	CRC Handbook / ASM
Silver	429	18.9	235	—	room temp	CRC Handbook / ASM

Sources & method. Values are typical figures at ~20–25 °C from the CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics and standard ASM metals references. Liquids and gases have no single linear expansion coefficient, so α is left blank for them. Thermal diffusivity is computed as α = k / (ρ·cp) using the density from the material density reference, so it appears only for materials present in both tables.

Related Calculators

Thermal Conductivity Calculator — Fourier's law — heat transfer rate from k, area, ΔT
Thermal Expansion Calculator — linear and volumetric expansion from α and ΔT
Thermal Diffusivity Calculator — α = k / (ρ·cp) for transient heat conduction
Material Density Reference — density of metals, liquids, woods, and gases

Related Sites

Temperature Tool — Temperature unit converter
Z-Score Calculator — Z-score, percentile, and probability calculator
InfantChart — Baby and child growth percentile charts
Dollars Per Hour — Weekly paycheck calculator with overtime
OptionsMath — Options trading profit and loss calculators
Medical Equations — Hemodynamic, pulmonary, and dosing calculators