Ductile Definition and Examples (Ductility)

What Is Ductility?

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

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By
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Chemistry Expert
  • Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville
  • B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College
Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels.
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Updated on September 16, 2019

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.

blacksmith shaping metal
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Malleable Definition (Malleability)
By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.

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.

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Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Ductile Definition and Examples (Ductility)." ThoughtCo, Aug. 25, 2020, thoughtco.com/definition-of-ductile-and-examples-605051. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2020, August 25). Ductile Definition and Examples (Ductility). Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-ductile-and-examples-605051 Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Ductile Definition and Examples (Ductility)." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-ductile-and-examples-605051 (accessed April 19, 2024).