Thermal conductivity of aluminium, copper and stainless steel increases in the order

Thermal conductivity measures a material's ability to transfer heat. Among the given materials, copper is one of the best conductors of heat, with a thermal conductivity of approximately 401 W/m·K. Aluminium follows with a high thermal conductivity of about 235-237 W/m·K. In contrast, stainless steel is an alloy containing iron, nickel, and chromium, which significantly reduces its ability to conduct heat. Its thermal conductivity is much lower, ranging from approximately 15 to 30 W/m·K. Therefore, the materials ranked in increasing order of thermal conductivity (from lowest to highest) are stainless steel, followed by aluminium, and finally copper. This property makes copper ideal for heat exchangers, while stainless steel is preferred for applications requiring heat resistance or insulation.