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Low-Conductivity Materials

Conductivity is the ability of a material to pass an electrical charge through it. Materials such as wood or plastic have such negligible levels of electrical conductivity, and only when wet and exposed to extreme degrees of electric voltage. It's more useful to understand low-conductivity materials by assessing the poor but measurable conduction abilities of malleable metals and alloys. The acronym IACS, which stands for International Annealed Copper Standard, is a measure of the conductivity a material has in relation to copper, which is 100% conductive.
  1. Tin

    • Tin, the malleable metal represented on the periodic table of elements with the symbol Sn, has a material IACS % conductivity of 15%. This means that the conductivity of tin is 15% that of copper. Although tin is a terrible electrical conductor in its natural state, it can become what is known as a superconductor--an element which will conduct electricity without resistance--when cooled to a temperature below -452.704 ºF.

    Lead

    • Lead is another malleable metal, represented on the periodic table with the symbol Pb. It has a material IACS % conductivity of 7%, giving it 7% of the conductivity of copper. Like tin, lead becomes a superconductor when cooled to -446.44 ºF.

    Steel

    • Steel is an alloy made up largely of iron, and has been produced for thousands of years. It has a material IACS % conductivity rating of 3% to 15%, meaning its electrical conductivity properties are anywhere from 3% to 15% of copper. Steel is also a poor thermal conductor, a common trait of metals which are poor electrical conductors.

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