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Table 1. Some Mechanical Properties of Modern String Materials

Name UNS Number Nominal Composition Density Temper Yield Strength Ultimate Tensile Strength Modulus of Elasticity
  % g/cm 3 MPa MPa GPa
  Steel Music Wire
K08500
99%Fe-1%C 7.85 Hard 2500 2750 210
  Malcolm Rose Iron
Grade 'A'
  7.77 Hard 790-rec 1000+ 170
  Phosphor Bronze 10%
C52400 90%Cu-10%Sn 8.78 Cast 140 278 110
H04 950 1013
  Phosphor Bronze 8%
C52100 92%Cu-8%Sn 8.80 H01 468-lfa 560 110
H06 930-lfa 965
  Phosphor Bronze 5%
C51000 95%Cu-5%Sn 8.86 H01 415 470 110
H08 895-lfa 965
  Cartridge Brass
C26000 70%Cu-30%Zn 8.53 H01 395-lfa 485 110
  Malcolm Rose English Brass
  H08 637-rec 895
  Low Brass
C24000 80%Cu-20%Zn 8.67 H01 354-es 470 110
H08 619-es 860
  Gilding metal
C23000 85%Cu-15%Zn 8.75 H01 316-es 405 115
H08 550-ob 725
  Red brass
C22000 90%Cu-10%Zn 8.80 H01 267-es 345 115
  Malcolm Rose Red Brass
  H08 435-rec 620
  Copper
C10200 99.95%Cu 8.94 H04 200 380 115
H08 365 455
  Sterling Silver
P07832 92.5%Ag-7.5%Cu 10.4 Soft 165-ob 310 75
70%w 380-ob 490
  14 ct Red Gold
P00170 58.5%Au-32.5%Cu-9%Ag 13.1 Soft 250 550 75
  Hard 720 1000
  18 ct Red Gold
P00285 75%Au-20.5%Cu-4.5%Ag 15.3 Soft 250 550 75
  Hard 700 950

Data from http://www.MatWeb.com unless otherwise indicated

ob: observed in practice
lfa: data from Little Falls Alloys, http://www.lfa-wire.com
rec: maximum practical tension recommended by Macolm Rose http://www.malcolm-rose.com
es: estimates based on the ratio between the yield and tensile strengths of flat products made of the same materials (see MatWeb.com)

Values in italics are also estimates

Tensile strength values for Steel Music wire are based on 0.4mm wire

The tensile strength values given for red gold alloys are based on data published in ‘Aurum’ by the Interrnational Gold Corporation quoted from Mark Grimwade, Introduction to Precious Metals, Newnes Technical Books, Butterworth & Co., Kent, (1985). These values would appear to be exceptionally high, other sources tend to give maximum tensile strength values for red gold of somewhere in the order of 550 MPa with much lower yield strength values. The above values will represent an absolute maximum for gold alloys.