The following table lists common, non-metallic materials used in construction and their corresponding thermal diffusivity values. It measures the rate of transfer of heat from the hot side of a material to the cold side. The alpha value (α) is used to calculate the rate of heat transfer due to conduction. The values below are listed in CM2/S [SI] or IN2/S [US]. Typically this is in M2/S or FT2/S but due to the small values, they are displayed as shown below. To convert to M2 and FT2/S, divide by 10,000 and 144, respectively.
Thermal diffusivity is used to calculate some of the following dimensionless numbers for heat transfer:
Thermal Diffusivity of Non-metallic Solids |
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| A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J-K-L-M-N-O-P-Q-R-S-T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z | ||||
| Material | Temperature °C |
Thermal Diffusivity α D (cm2/s) | Temperature °F | Thermal Diffusivity α D (in2/s) |
|
50 |
0.0029 |
122 |
4.495x10-4 |
|
|
Asphalt |
20 |
0.0036 |
68 |
5.580x10-4 |
|
20 |
0.0011 |
68 |
1.705x10-4 |
|
|
Bark |
25 |
0.0017 |
77 |
2.635x10-4 |
|
Brick |
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|
Common |
20 |
0.0028-0.0034 |
68 |
4.340x10-4-5.270x10-4 |
|
Firebrick |
300 |
0.00054 |
572 |
8.370x10-5 |
|
Masonry |
20 |
0.0046 |
68 |
7.130x10-4 |
|
Brickwork, dried in air |
20 |
0.0049-0.0054 |
68 |
7.595x10-4-8.370x10-4 |
|
Diamond (type lib) |
20 |
8.1 |
68 |
1.255 |
|
Graphite (firm, natural) |
20 |
1.02-1.27 |
68 |
0.1581 |
|
Carborundum (SiC) |
100 |
0.62 |
212 |
9.610x10-2 |
|
Celluloid |
20 |
0.001 |
68 |
1.550x10-4 |
|
Cement (portland, fresh, dry) |
20 |
0.0013 |
68 |
2.015x10-4 |
|
Chalk (CaC03) |
20 |
0.01-0.015 |
68 |
1.550x10-3-2.325x10-3 |
|
Clay |
20 |
0.01 |
68 |
1.550x10-3 |
|
Fireclay |
100 |
0.35-0.71 |
212 |
5.425x10-2-0.1100 |
| Material | Temperature °C | Thermal Diffusivity α D (cm2/s) | Temperature °F | Thermal Diffusivity α D (in2/s) |
|
Coal |
20 |
0.0014-0.0017 |
68 |
2.170x10-4-2.635x10-4 |
|
Bituminous in-situ |
0.003-0.004 |
32 |
4.650x10-4-6.200x10-4 |
|
|
Dust |
30 |
0.0013 |
86 |
2.015x10-4 |
|
Concrete, made with gravel, dry |
20 |
0.0066 |
68 |
1.023x10-3 |
|
Cork Board |
20 |
0.0015 |
68 |
2.325x10-4 |
|
Cotton |
30 |
0.0063 |
86 |
9.765x10-4 |
|
Coarse-grained |
20 |
0.0016 |
68 |
2.480x10-4 |
|
Diatomaceous |
20 |
0.0031 |
68 |
4.805x10-4 |
|
20 |
0.001 |
68 |
1.550x10-4 |
|
|
Lead |
20 |
0.0036-0.0047 |
68 |
5.580x10-4-7.285x10-4 |
|
Mirror |
20 |
0.0035 |
68 |
5.425x10-4 |
|
Pyrex |
60-100 |
0.0078 |
140-212 |
1.209x10-3 |
|
Quartz |
20 |
0.0087 |
68 |
1.348x10-3 |
|
Window |
20 |
0.0034 |
68 |
5.270x10-4 |
|
Wool |
0 |
0.0028 |
32 |
4.340x10-4 |
|
Granite |
20 |
0.012 |
68 |
1.860x10-3 |
|
Gypsum |
20 |
0.0047 |
68 |
7.285x10-4 |
|
0 |
0.012 |
32 |
1.860x10-3 |
|
| Material | Temperature °C | Thermal Diffusivity α D (cm2/s) | Temperature °F | Thermal Diffusivity α D (in2/s) |
|
20 |
~0.001 |
68 |
~1.550x10-4 |
|
|
Limestone |
100 |
~0.005 |
212 |
~7.750x10-4 |
|
20 |
0.013 |
68 |
2.015x10-3 |
|
|
Mica |
20 |
68 |
||
|
Mortar |
20 |
0.0061 |
68 |
9.455x10-4 |
|
20 |
0.0014 |
68 |
2.170x10-4 |
|
|
Paraffin |
30 |
~0.001 |
86 |
~1.550x10-4 |
|
Plaster |
20 |
0.0058 |
68 |
8.990x10-4 |
|
Plexiglas (acrylic) |
20 |
0.0011 |
68 |
1.705x10-4 |
|
Polyethylene |
20 |
0.0017 |
68 |
2.635x10-4 |
|
Polyurethane |
20 |
0.0013 |
68 |
2.015x10-4 |
|
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) |
20 |
0.0011 |
68 |
1.705x10-4 |
|
Porcelain |
95 |
0.004 |
203 |
6.200x10-4 |
|
20 |
~0.008 |
68 |
~1.240x10-3 |
|
|
Foam |
20 |
0.0011 |
68 |
1.705x10-4 |
|
Hard (ebonite) |
20 |
0.0006 |
68 |
9.300x10-5 |
|
Soft |
20 |
~0.001 |
68 |
1.550x10-4 |
|
Synthetic |
20 |
0.001 |
68 |
1.550x10-4 |
|
0 |
0.003-0.036 |
32 |
4.650x10-4-5.580x10-3 |
|
| Material | Temperature °C | Thermal Diffusivity α D (cm2/s) | Temperature °F | Thermal Diffusivity α D (in2/s) |
|
Sand |
||||
|
Sandstone |
20 |
0.01-0.013 |
68 |
1.550x10-3-2.015x10-3 |
|
Silica stone (85% SiC) |
700 |
0.055 |
1292 |
8.525x10-3 |
|
Silicon |
20 |
0.94 |
68 |
0.1457 |
|
Silk (artificial) |
35 |
0.0037 |
95 |
5.735x10-4 |
|
Slag |
20 |
0.0023-0.0027 |
68 |
3.565x10-4-4.185x10-4 |
|
Slate |
||||
|
Parallel to lamination |
20 |
0.014 |
68 |
2.170x10-3 |
|
Perpendicular to lamination |
20 |
0.009 |
68 |
1.395x10-3 |
|
Snow, firm |
0 |
0.0039 |
32 |
6.045x10-4 |
|
Soil [see also Earth] |
|
|||
|
Dry |
15 |
0.004 |
59 |
6.200x10-4 |
|
Wet |
15 |
59 |
|
|
|
Sugar (fine) |
0 |
0.0029 |
32 |
4.495x10-4 |
|
Sulfur |
20 |
0.0018 |
68 |
2.790x10-4 |
|
20 |
0.001 |
68 |
1.550x10-4 |
|
|
|
||||
|
Oak |
20 |
~0.0012 |
68 |
~1.860x10-4 |
|
Pine, fir, spruce |
20 |
0.0012 |
68 |
1.860x10-4 |
|
Wool |
|
|||
|
Sheep |
20 |
0.0021 |
68 |
3.255x10-4 |
|
Mineral |
50 |
0.0025 |
122 |
3.875x10-4 |
|
Slag |
25 |
0.0031 |
77 |
4.805x10-4 |
| Material | Temperature °C | Thermal Diffusivity α D (cm2/s) | Temperature °F | Thermal Diffusivity α D (in2/s) |
