Lead
Lead – Dense, Radiation-Shielding Metal for X-Ray Protection and Battery Applications
Lead is a dense (11.34 g/cm³), soft, and highly malleable metal offering excellent radiation shielding capability, outstanding chemical resistance to sulfuric acid, and very low melting point (327°C). It remains essential for X-ray shielding, nuclear waste containment, and lead-acid battery plates despite RoHS restrictions on its use in electronic equipment — verify regulatory compliance before specifying.
Key Properties
- Density: 11.34 g/cm³ — highly effective radiation absorber
- Melting Point: 327°C
- Tensile Strength: 12 MPa — not structural; used for shielding and chemical resistance
- Radiation Shielding: Excellent for X-ray and gamma radiation
- Regulatory Note: RoHS restricted in most electronic equipment applications
- Standard: ASTM B29
Common Applications
X-ray room and radiation therapy shielding, lead-acid batteries, cable sheathing, ballast and counterweights, vibration damping pads, and chemical plant equipment handling concentrated sulfuric acid.
Material properties
| Material name | Lead |
|---|---|
| Type | Other Metals |
| Standard code | ASTM B29 |
| Tensile strength (MPa) | 12 |
| Yield strength (MPa) | 11 |
| Fatigue strength (MPa) | — |
| Elongation (%) | 45 |
| Hardness (Brinell) | 5 |
| Density (g/cm³) | 11.34 |
| Electrical resistivity (µΩ·in) | 20.6 |
| Thermal conductivity (W/m·K) | 35 |
| Melting range (°C) | 327 |
| Weldability | Good |
| Formability | Excellent |
| Shear modulus | 5.6 |
| Industry code | lead |