Is aluminum conductive?

Aluminum is conductive both thermally and electrically. Conductivity ratings are based on copper, which is the standard, and aluminum has a 61 IACS percent conductivity rating.

The higher the IACS percent, the more conductive a material is. Gold has a slightly higher rating of 70 percent, copper has a rating of 100 percent and silver has a rating of 105 percent. Aluminum is a cost effective choice and is used for low voltage distribution in buried cables. A problem with aluminum is that it deforms under weight, which causes connections to loosen. This is avoided by using connectors specifically for aluminum.