Ductile Definition and Examples (Ductility)

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.

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.