Ways to Reduce Heat Conductivity in Metal

Insulate It

• Perhaps the best way to reduce the conductivity in metal is to insulate it. This is a common practice with metal pipes. Insulation is applied to prevent heat from either escaping from within the pipes or to prevent the metal from absorbing heat from other sources such as the sun. Different types of insulation can be used, and all will produce slight variations in how well they insulate based on their own conductivity.

Change Metals

• Some metals absorb heat at greater rates or can reach higher temperatures than other types of metal. For example, metals such as copper and aluminum are better conductors of heat than iron. Therefore, if using one of these metals in an area where heat is an issue, changing to a less conductive metal may be appropriate.

Change Temperatures

• If metal is too hot, simply reducing the temperature can reduce heat conduction. This may seem like an obvious solution in some instances, such as in cooking on a stovetop. In other cases, shading the object or cooling the room around the object can reduce heat conductivity.

Block It

• Use a less conductive material as a barrier between the heat source and the metal object to prevent the heat from reaching the metal. One of the slowest conductors of heat is air. This can be difficult as it is hard to trap air in one place, so another material is needed to create a pocket of air between this new object and the metal. A vacuum thermos, for example, creates a thin layer of air between the outside environment and the contents of the thermos.

Reflect It

• Another option for reducing heat conductivity in metal is to apply a reflective material to the metal or the area around it. The easiest way to reflect heat is to change the color of the metal. This can be achieved by simply painting the metal object white to help reflect heat sources such as the sun.