Kanthal® A wire is a ferritic iron-chromium-aluminium alloy (FeCrAl alloy) with high resistivity and good oxidation resistance for use at temperatures up to 1350°C (2460°F).
Kanthal® A is typically used in industrial furnaces and home appliances. Examples of applications are elements embedded in ceramics for panel heaters, infrared heaters, warming plates, irons, ceramic pots, in cartridge heaters for liquid heating, storage heaters, in ceramic heaters for cooking plates, air guns, hobby kilns, radiators, in quartz tube heaters for space heating, toasters, toaster ovens, grills, industrial infrared dryers, coils on molded ceramic fibre for cooking plates with ceramic hobs.
Chemical composition
|
C % |
Si % |
Mn % |
Cr % |
Al % |
Fe % |
| Nominal composition |
|
|
|
|
5.3 |
Bal. |
| Min |
- |
- |
- |
20.5 |
- |
|
| Max |
0.08 |
0.7 |
0.5 |
23.5 |
- |
|
Mechanical properties
| Wire size |
Yield strength |
Tensile strength |
Elongation |
Hardness |
| Ø |
Rp0.2 |
Rm |
A |
|
| mm (in) |
MPa (ksi) |
MPa (ksi) |
% |
Hv |
| 1.0 (0.04) |
550 (80) |
725 (105) |
22 |
230 |
| 4.0 (0.16) |
450 (65) |
660 (96) |
24 |
230 |
Mechanical properties at elevated temperature
| Temperature °C (°F) |
900 (1652) |
| MPa (ksi) |
34 (4.9) |
Ultimate tensile strength - deformation rate 6.2 x 10 -2/min
Creep strength - 1% elongation in 1000 h
| Temperature °C (°F) |
800 (1472) |
1000 (1832) |
| MPa (psi) |
1.2 (170) |
0.5 (73) |
Physical properties
| Density g/cm3 (lb/in3) |
7.15 (0.258) |
| Electrical resistivity at 20°C Ω mm2/m (Ω circ. mil/ft) |
1.39 (836) |
| Poisson's ratio |
0.30 |
Young's modulus
| Temperature °C |
20 |
100 |
200 |
400 |
600 |
800 |
1000 |
| Temperature °F |
68 |
212 |
392 |
752 |
1112 |
1472 |
1832 |
| GPa |
220 |
210 |
205 |
190 |
170 |
150 |
130 |
| Msi |
32 |
30 |
30 |
28 |
25 |
22 |
19 |
Temperature factor of resistivity
| Temperature °C |
100 |
200 |
300 |
400 |
500 |
600 |
700 |
800 |
900 |
1000 |
1100 |
1200 |
1300 |
| Temperature °F |
212 |
392 |
572 |
752 |
932 |
1112 |
1292 |
1472 |
1652 |
1832 |
2012 |
2192 |
2372 |
| Ct |
1.00 |
1.01 |
1.01 |
1.02 |
1.03 |
1.04 |
1.04 |
1.05 |
1.05 |
1.06 |
1.06 |
1.06 |
1.06 |
Coefficient of thermal expansion
| Temperature °C (°F) |
Thermal Expansion x 10-6/K (10-6 /°F) |
| 20 - 250 (68-482) |
11 (6.1) |
| 20 - 500 (68-932) |
12 (6.7) |
| 20 - 750 (68-1382) |
14 (7.8) |
| 20 - 1000 (68-1832) |
15 (8.3) |
Thermal conductivity
| Temperature °C |
50 |
600 |
800 |
1000 |
1200 |
| Temperature °F |
122 |
1112 |
1472 |
1832 |
2192 |
| W m-1 K-1 |
11 |
20 |
22 |
26 |
27 |
| Btu h-1ft-1°F-1 |
6.4 |
11.6 |
12.7 |
15.0 |
15.6 |
Specific heat capacity
| Temperature °C |
20 |
200 |
400 |
600 |
800 |
1000 |
1200 |
| Temperature °F |
68 |
392 |
752 |
1112 |
1472 |
1832 |
2192 |
| kJ kg-1 K-1 |
0.46 |
0.56 |
0.63 |
0.75 |
0.71 |
0.72 |
0.74 |
| Btu lb-1 °F-1 |
0.11 |
0.13 |
0.15 |
0.18 |
0.17 |
0.17 |
0.18 |
| Melting point °C (°F) |
1500 (2732) |
| Max continuous operating temperature in air °C (°F) |
1350 (2462) |
| Magnetic properties |
The material is magnetic up to approximately 600°C (1112°F) (Curie point). |
| Emissivity - fully oxidized material |
0.70 |
