When you need to move heat, these are the best conductors in our library, ranked by thermal conductivity. Copper and aluminum lead by a wide margin.
| Material | Thermal conductivity (W/m-K) |
|---|---|
| Copper | 400 |
| Aluminum (6061) | 167 |
| Brass | 120 |
| Bronze | 60 |
| Gray Cast Iron | 55 |
| Carbon Steel | 50 |
| Titanium | 22 |
| Stainless Steel (304) | 16 |
Copper conducts heat about 25 times better than stainless steel, which is why heat sinks and cookware bases use copper and aluminum rather than steel.
Copper and aluminum win. For heat sinks and heat exchangers, copper and aluminum are the go-to choices. Stainless steel is a deliberately poor conductor, useful where you want to slow heat flow.
See the Thermal Conductivity Chart and the Specific Heat Chart.