ductility

(noun)

Ability of a material to be drawn out to a reduced section without fracture under the action of a tensile force.

Related Terms

Examples of ductility in the following topics:

  • Reinforced Concrete Construction

    • Reinforced concrete is a composite material in which concrete's relatively low tensile strength and ductility are counteracted by the inclusion of reinforcement with a higher tensile strength and ductility.
    • Having a low tensile strength, in combination with low ductility (i.e. the ability to bend), means a material is more likely to break without reinforcement.
    • For a strong, ductile and durable construction, the reinforcement needs to have the following properties:
    • There are many different methods of reinforced concrete construction, depending on the ductility and strength of the reinforcement beams.

  • General Properties of Metals

    • Metals are usually malleable, ductile, and shiny.
    • Typically they are malleable and ductile, deforming under stress without cleaving.

  • Variation of Physical Properties Within a Group

    • They are malleable (can be hammered into thin sheets) and ductile (can be stretched into wires).
    • On the left is sodium, a very metallic element (ductile, malleable, conducts electricity).

  • Copper

    • Copper is a ductile metal that conducts heat and electricity and forms a rich variety of compounds with oxidation states +1 and +2.
    • Copper is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity; its symbol is Cu and its atomic number is 29.

  • Periodic Trends in Metallic Properties

    • Because each ion is surrounded by the electron fluid in all directions, the bonding has no directional properties; this accounts for the high malleability and ductility of metals.

  • Bonding in Metals: The Electron Sea Model

    • Metals are ductile and malleable because local bonds can be easily broken and reformed.

  • Metallic Crystals

    • Metallic bonding accounts for many physical properties of metals, such as strength, malleability, ductility, thermal and electrical conductivity, opacity, and luster.
    • Mechanical properties of metals include malleability and ductility, meaning the capacity for plastic deformation.

  • Aluminum

  • Transition Metals

    • For example, the metals in group 11 have similar characteristics of electrical conductivity, luster, crystal structure, ductility, and tensile strength.

  • Occurrence of Metals

    • Iron alloyed with various proportions of carbon gives low, mid and high carbon steels; the increased carbon levels reduce ductility and toughness.