Search high-temperature boiling point data for common pure metals and engineering alloys. Results show approximate boiling temperature in Celsius, Fahrenheit and Kelvin.
The boiling point is the temperature at which a liquid's vapor pressure reaches the surrounding pressure. At standard atmospheric pressure, commonly taken as 1 atmosphere or approximately 101.325 kPa, a liquid can undergo bulk boiling when its vapor pressure reaches atmospheric pressure.
For pure metals, a boiling point can be given as a defined reference temperature at a specified pressure. Common examples include aluminum, copper, iron, nickel, silver and gold. These temperatures are much higher than their corresponding melting points.
Engineering alloys are more complicated. Steel, stainless steel, brass and many nickel alloys contain multiple elements with different vapor pressures and phase behavior. Consequently, there may not be a single practically useful "boiling point" for the entire alloy in the same way there is for a pure element.
| Material | Approx. Boiling Point | °F | K | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum | 2470°C | 4478°F | 2743 K | Pure metal |
| Copper | 2562°C | 4644°F | 2835 K | Pure metal |
| Iron | 2862°C | 5184°F | 3135 K | Pure metal |
| Nickel | 2913°C | 5275°F | 3186 K | Pure metal |
| Titanium | 3287°C | 5949°F | 3560 K | Pure metal |
| Silver | 2162°C | 3924°F | 2435 K | Pure metal |
| Gold | 2970°C | 5378°F | 3243 K | Pure metal |
| Zinc | 907°C | 1665°F | 1180 K | Pure metal |
| Lead | 1749°C | 3180°F | 2022 K | Pure metal |
| Property | Phase Change | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Melting point | Solid → Liquid | The temperature at which a solid changes into liquid under a specified pressure. |
| Boiling point | Liquid → Vapor | The temperature at which vapor pressure reaches the surrounding pressure. |
| Boiling under vacuum | Liquid → Vapor | Lower surrounding pressure can substantially reduce the boiling temperature. |
| Evaporation | Liquid → Vapor | Can occur below the normal boiling point from the surface of a liquid. |
Metal boiling points are relevant to extremely high-temperature processes, vacuum metallurgy, evaporation, thin-film deposition, welding research, plasma processing and some specialized furnace operations. They are also useful for understanding why certain alloying elements can evaporate more readily than others.
In conventional machining, fabrication and ordinary heat treatment, the boiling point is generally not a practical process limit. Material strength, oxidation, melting, phase transformation and heat-treatment requirements normally become important at much lower temperatures.
In vacuum processing, however, pressure changes the relationship between temperature and vapor pressure. A material can evaporate significantly below its normal atmospheric boiling point when the surrounding pressure is sufficiently reduced.
| Situation | Important Consideration |
|---|---|
| Atmospheric heating | Use boiling point as a phase-change reference, not as a recommended working temperature. |
| Vacuum furnace | Reduced pressure can cause evaporation at temperatures well below the normal boiling point. |
| Welding | Preferential evaporation of alloying elements can affect weld chemistry and process behavior. |
| Metal casting | Boiling is normally far above casting temperatures; oxidation, gas pickup and fluidity are more immediate concerns. |
| Thin-film deposition | Vapor pressure and evaporation rate can be more useful than the normal boiling point alone. |
| High-temperature service | Strength, creep, oxidation and corrosion normally become limiting long before boiling. |
What is the boiling point of aluminum? Pure aluminum boils at approximately 2470°C at standard atmospheric pressure.
What is the boiling point of copper? Pure copper boils at approximately 2562°C at standard atmospheric pressure.
What is the boiling point of iron? Pure iron boils at approximately 2862°C at standard atmospheric pressure.
What is the boiling point of nickel? Pure nickel boils at approximately 2913°C at standard atmospheric pressure.
What is the boiling point of titanium? Pure titanium boils at approximately 3287°C at standard atmospheric pressure.
What is the boiling point of silver? Silver boils at approximately 2162°C at standard atmospheric pressure.
What is the boiling point of gold? Gold boils at approximately 2970°C at standard atmospheric pressure.
What is the boiling point of zinc? Zinc boils at approximately 907°C at standard atmospheric pressure.
Does steel have one boiling point? No. Steel is an alloy, and its high-temperature vaporization behavior depends on its chemical composition. Different constituents can have different vapor pressures and boiling behavior.
Why can metals evaporate below their boiling point? Boiling is a bulk liquid-to-vapor transition associated with vapor pressure reaching the surrounding pressure. Surface evaporation can occur below the normal boiling point, and reduced pressure can greatly increase evaporation rates.
Does pressure change the boiling point of a metal? Yes. Lower surrounding pressure generally lowers the temperature required for a liquid to reach the corresponding boiling condition.
Is boiling point the maximum temperature a metal can withstand? No. Mechanical properties, oxidation, corrosion, creep, phase changes and dimensional stability can become limiting at temperatures far below boiling.
Why are alloy boiling points difficult to specify? Alloys contain several elements and do not necessarily behave as a single pure substance during heating. Different constituents may vaporize at different rates, especially under vacuum or very high-temperature conditions.