Acoustic Properties Of Materials

Material

Ultrasonic Velocity

 

Longitudinal   (Compression)

Transverse   (Shear)

Impedance

 

mm/us

in/us

mm/us

in/us

Z

METALS

 

 

 

 

 

Aluminum 1100-0

6.229

0.248

3.073

0.121

17.1

Aluminum 2024-T4

6.375

0.251

3.15

0.124

17.6

Aluminum 6061-T6

6.299

0.248

3.15

0.124

17

Beryllium

12.878

0.507

8.89

0.35

23.5

Brass

4.369

0.172

2.108

0.083

37.1

Bronze

3.531

0.139

2.235

0.088

31.3

Copper

4.75

0.187

2.337

0.092

42.5

Gold

3.251

0.128

1.194

0.047

62.6

Inconel

7.823

0.308

3.023

0.119

64.5

Iron - Cast

3.505-5.588

0.138-0.220

2.210-3.200

0.087-0.126

24.3-41.2

Lead

2.159

0.085

0.813

0.032

23.5

Magnesium

5.461-5.791

0.215-0.228

3.023-3.099

0.119-0.122

9.24-10.6

Monel

5.359

0.211

2.718

0.107

47.2

Nickel

5.639

0.222

2.972

0.117

50

Silver

3.607

0.142

1.6

0.063

37.8

Steel

5.93

0.233

3.251

0.128

45.4

Titanium

6.172

0.243

3.302

0.13

27.3

Zircaloy

4.724

0.186

2.362

0.093

44.2

Zirconium

4.648

0.183

2.261

0.089

30.1

POLYMERS

 

 

 

 

 

Acrylics

2.667-2.769

0.105-0.109

1.118-1.448

0.044-0.057

3.15-3.51

Cellulose Acetate

2.438

0.096

 

 

3.19

Nylon

2.692

0.016

 

 

 

Phenolic

1.422

0.056

 

 

1.9

Polycarbonate

2.286

0.09

 

 

2.71

Polyethylene

2.667

0.105

 

 

2.94

Polystyrene

2.388

0.094

1.143

0.045

2.52

Rubber

1.549

0.061

 

 

1.74

Silicone

0.94

0.037

 

 

1.4

Teflon

1.372

0.054

6.35

0.25

3

COMPOSITES

 

 

 

 

 

Fiberglass

3.15

0.124

1.727

0.068

6.04

Graphite/Epoxy

2.972

0.117

1.956

0.077

4.65

Boron/Epoxy

3.327

0.131

1.829

0.072

6.38

OTHER SOLIDS

 

 

 

 

 

Alumina (Al2O3)  

10.846

0.427

 

 

43.1

Concrete

4.242-5.258

0.167-0.207

3.429

0.135

12.4

Glass

5.766

0.227

 

 

14.5

Granite

3.962

0.156

1.93

0.076

10.9

Tungsten Carbide

6.655

0.262

 

 

67.6

LIQUIDS

 

 

 

 

 

Ethylene Glycol

1.626

0.064

 

 

1.8

Glycerin

1.93

0.076

 

 

2.42

Oil

1.753

0.069

 

 

1.51

Water

1.473

0.058

 

 

1.48

Gases

 

 

 

 

 

Air

0.356

0.014

 

 

0.00041