Materials Performance: Malleability

Understanding Malleability

Malleability is the property of materials that allows them to be deformed under compression without cracking or breaking.
It’s a measure of how easy a material is to reshape into a sheet or other plane figures by hammering or rolling.
The more malleable a material is, the easier it is to work with, as it can be shaped without damaging the material.

Compression Test: This is a common laboratory test used to determine a material’s malleability. The material is compressed and the amount of deformation before cracking is used to measure malleability.
Ductility vs Malleability: These are two related properties of materials. Ductility is the ability of a material to stretch under tension, while malleability is the ability to compress without cracking. Both properties are important in manufacturing and construction.
Cold Working and Hot Working: Some materials increase their malleability when heated (hot working), while others become more malleable when they are deformed ‘cold’, i.e. at room temperature (cold working).

Metals such as gold, silver and lead are highly malleable. This characteristic is vital in industries such as jewellery making, metal-working and in the manufacture of electrical connections.
Alloys, like brass and bronze, are often more malleable than their component metals. This is one reason why they are used so frequently in manufacturing.

Malleability plays a crucial role in manufacturing and construction, as materials often need to be pressed, pounded, or rolled into thin sheets to be used.
Structural design greatly benefits from the use of malleable materials that can withstand changes in shape without cracking.
In product design, the malleability of materials influences everything from the choice of manufacturing process to the durability and appeal of the final product.

Impurities in a material can decrease malleability, as they disrupt the orderly arrangement of atoms in the material.
Similarly, temperature can also affect the malleability of a material. Heating a material can increase its malleability, but if heated too much, the material can become too soft or even melt.