The sturdiness and heat dissipation performance of metal-cased e-cigarettes vary depending on the material. The following is an analysis of common metal materials:
Firmness
Zinc alloy: Zinc alloy is renowned for its durability and toughness. Its robust properties help protect equipment from damage caused by impacts, ensuring a longer service life and more stable performance of the equipment. Zinc alloy die-castings have high dimensional accuracy and good surface finish. Their strength is generally 25% to 30% higher than that of sand casting. They can die-cast complex-shaped and thin-walled precision parts. The surface of the castings is smooth and the dimensional accuracy is high.
Aluminum alloy: Aluminum alloy is lightweight and has high strength. Especially aviation-grade aluminum alloy, its firmness far exceeds that of ordinary aluminum alloy, and it is more durable. For instance, the Relx 6th generation e-cigarette is made of aviation-grade aluminum alloy, featuring a lightweight yet sturdy and durable body.
Stainless steel: Stainless steel is strong and durable, corrosion-resistant, but relatively expensive. It is suitable for high-end electronic cigarette products.
Heat dissipation performance
Aluminum alloy: The thermal conductivity of aluminum is approximately 205W/(m·K), which is at a relatively high level among metallic materials. The aluminum casing can quickly conduct heat from the inside to the surface of the casing and dissipate it into the environment through air convection or radiation, thereby effectively reducing the temperature of the equipment. Meanwhile, the thermal conductivity of the aluminum casing helps to evenly distribute heat throughout the casing, avoiding local overheating and prolonging the service life of the equipment. In addition, aluminium has a relatively low density but high strength, which enables the aluminium casing to maintain heat dissipation performance while reducing the overall weight of the device, enhancing its portability and usage efficiency.
Zinc alloy: Zinc alloy has moderate thermal conductivity, which is beneficial for controlling the heat generated by the battery and atomizer in electronic cigarettes, helping the device dissipate heat effectively and maintain an appropriate temperature during use. At the same time, it can potentially extend the service life of electronic components by reducing thermal stress. However, compared with aluminium alloys, the thermal conductivity of zinc alloys may be slightly inferior.