Thermal Conductivity Converter

Convert between different thermal conductivity measurements for heat transfer calculations

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Common materials:

The most commonly used high-conductivity material for heat sinks, cookware, and heat exchangers.

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Common Material Presets

Conversion Formula:

BTU/(h·ft·°F) = W/(m·K) × 0.5778

Typical Applications:

Superior thermal conductor (electronic applications, high-performance heat transfer)

Practical Calculations

Heat Transfer Example:

For a 1m² surface with 0.1m thickness and a temperature difference of 20°C:

Heat flow: 80200.0 Watts

Calculated using the formula: Heat Flow = k × A × ΔT ÷ d

Thermal Resistance (R-value):

Metric (1m thickness):0.002 m²·K/W

Imperial (1in thickness):0.014 ft²·°F·h/BTU

R-value = Thickness ÷ Thermal Conductivity

Understanding Thermal Conductivity

Thermal conductivity is a material property that indicates how well heat is transferred through the material. It is defined as the amount of heat that passes through a unit area of material per unit time when there is a unit temperature gradient.

Key Concepts:

The SI unit is W/(m·K) - watts per meter-kelvin
Higher values mean better heat conduction
Lower values indicate better insulation
Values range from near 0 (vacuum) to over 1000 (diamond)
The property is temperature-dependent

Practical Applications:

Building insulation: Materials with low thermal conductivity
Heat sinks: High conductivity materials for electronics cooling
Cookware: Good conductors distribute heat evenly
Thermal barriers: Low conductivity materials in spacecraft
Winter clothing: Traps air (low conductivity) for warmth

Fourier's Law of Heat Conduction:

The fundamental equation that describes heat transfer by conduction:

q = -k · A · (dT/dx)

Where:

q: Heat transfer rate (W)
k: Thermal conductivity
A: Cross-sectional area
dT/dx: Temperature gradient

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Thermal Conductivity Visualization

Copper

Excellent conductor - like copper, silver, or gold

Similar materials by thermal conductivity:

Copper:401 W/(m·K)

Silver:429 W/(m·K)

Gold:318 W/(m·K)

Aluminum:237 W/(m·K)

Conductivity

401 W/(m·K)

Rate of heat transfer through material

Common thermal conductivity values:

Silver:429 W/(m·K)

Copper:401 W/(m·K)

Aluminum:237 W/(m·K)

Steel:50.2 W/(m·K)

Glass:0.96 W/(m·K)

Wood:0.17 W/(m·K)

Fiberglass:0.04 W/(m·K)

Air:0.026 W/(m·K)

Material Categories by Thermal Conductivity

Category	Range (W/m·K)
Super Conductors	> 500
Excellent Conductors	200 - 500
Good Conductors	50 - 200
Moderate Conductors	10 - 50
Poor Conductors	1 - 10
Good Insulators	0.1 - 1
Excellent Insulators	< 0.1

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About the Thermal Conductivity Converter

Convert between different thermal conductivity measurements for heat transfer calculations All conversions run instantly in your browser and nothing you enter is sent to a server.

Common Conversion Formulas

From	To	Formula
Watts per meter-kelvin (W/(m·K))	BTU per hour-foot-°F (BTU/(h·ft·°F))	BTU/(h·ft·°F) = W/(m·K) × 0.5778
Watts per meter-kelvin (W/(m·K))	Watts per centimeter-°C (W/(cm·°C))	W/(cm·°C) = W/(m·K) × 0.01
Heat Transfer Rate (q)	Thermal Conductivity (k), Area (A), Temperature Gradient (ΔT/Δx)	q = -k × A × (ΔT/Δx) (Fourier's Law)