DUCTILITY - Ductility is the physical property of a material associated with the ability to be hammered thin or stretched into wire without breaking. A ductile substance can be drawn into a wire. Nonmetals are not generally ductile. Ductility and malleability are not the same. You can think of ductility as the capacity of a material to be drawn into a wire without fracturing. A malleable material can be pounded into a very thin sheet. Most metals are both malleable and ductile.

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Ductility

Ductile Definition and Examples (Ductility)

What Is Ductility?

Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.

Ductility is the physical property of a material associated with the ability to be hammered thin or stretched into wire without breaking.

A ductile substance can be drawn into a wire.

Examples: Most metals are good examples of ductile materials, including gold, silver, copper, erbium, terbium, and samarium.

Examples of metals that are not very ductile include tungsten and high-carbon steel.

Nonmetals are not generally ductile.

Ductility Versus Malleability

Ductility and malleability are not the same.

You can think of ductility as the capacity of a material to be drawn into a wire without fracturing.

A malleable material can be pounded into a very thin sheet. Most metals are both malleable and ductile.

Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.

Introduction

Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville - Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Science educator with experience teaching chemistry, biology, astronomy, and physics at the high school, college, and graduate levels.

ThoughtCo and About Education chemistry expert since 2001.

Widely-published graphic artist, responsible for printable periodic tables and other illustrations used in science.

Experience

Anne Helmenstine, Ph.D. has covered chemistry for ThoughtCo and About Education since 2001, and other sciences since 2013. She taught chemistry, biology, astronomy, and physics at the high school, college, and graduate levels. She has worked as a research scientist and also abstracting and indexing diverse scientific literature for the Department of Energy.

In addition to her work as a science writer, Dr. Helmenstine currently serves as a scientific consultant, specializing in problems requiring an interdisciplinary approach. Previously, she worked as a research scientist and college professor. 

Education

Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and a B.A. in physics and mathematics with a minor in chemistry from Hastings College. In her doctoral work, Dr. Helmenstine developed ultra-sensitive chemical detection and medical diagnostic tests.

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https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-ductile-and-examples-605051

A ductile material can be drawn into a long, thin wire