Thermal conductivity against densityHigher and further left: spreads more heat for its weightThermal expansion against thermal conductivityLower and further right: warps less when heated
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Sources4 documents: Kaiser Aluminum, Outokumpu, Steel Construction Institute, Carpenter Technology
Aluminum 3003-O
3003-O (annealed) aluminium-manganese alloy, the heat-exchanger tube and brazing alloy, Kaiser Aluminum Tube & Pipe Alloy 3003 Technical Data (Rev. 05/06), typical properties; specific heat from the NIST cryogenic 3003-F fit at 293 K.
Stainless Steel 303
1.4305 / UNS S30300, Outokumpu typical values (hot rolled, solution annealed) from 'Steel Grades, Properties and Global Standards'; max service from Carpenter CarTech 303 datasheet
1
Alloy 3003 Tube & Pipe Technical Data, Rev. 05/06Kaiser Aluminumarchived copyAluminum 3003-O · Yield strength: typical, O, 0.0625 in specimenAluminum 3003-O · Ultimate tensile strength: typical, OAluminum 3003-O · Elongation at break: typical, O, in 4DAluminum 3003-O · Young's modulus (stiffness): typicalAluminum 3003-O · Density: nominal, 20 °CAluminum 3003-O · Thermal conductivity: typical, O, 20 °CAluminum 3003-O · Thermal expansion: typical, mean 20-100 °CAluminum 3003-O · Melting point: melting range
2
Steel Grades, Properties and Global StandardsOutokumpuarchived copyStainless Steel 303 · Yield strength: Outokumpu typical (product P = hot rolled plate, transverse)Stainless Steel 303 · Ultimate tensile strength: Outokumpu typicalStainless Steel 303 · Elongation at break: Outokumpu typical, A5Stainless Steel 303 · Young's modulus (stiffness): at RT (Table 12)Stainless Steel 303 · Density: at RTStainless Steel 303 · Thermal conductivity: at RTStainless Steel 303 · Thermal expansion: mean, 20–100 °CStainless Steel 303 · Specific heat: at RT
3
Design Manual for Structural Stainless Steel, 4th Edition (P413)Steel Construction Institutearchived copyStainless Steel 303 · Poisson's ratio: design value (structural stainless steels)
4
Carpenter Stainless Type 303 Data SheetCarpenter Technologyarchived copyStainless Steel 303 · Max service temperature: continuous, scaling limit
Each number points to the document that states it, with the exact basis. Values without a number are computed from the sourced ones. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.
Questions
Mechanical
Is Aluminum 3003-O stronger than Stainless Steel 303?
Stainless Steel 303 is stronger: its yield strength is 275 MPa against 40 MPa for Aluminum 3003-O (6.88x).
Which is lighter, Aluminum 3003-O or Stainless Steel 303?
Aluminum 3003-O is lighter: 2,730 kg/m³ against 7,900 kg/m³ for Stainless Steel 303.
Which is stiffer, Aluminum 3003-O or Stainless Steel 303?
Stainless Steel 303 is stiffer: Young's modulus 200 GPa against 69 GPa for Aluminum 3003-O, so the same part in Stainless Steel 303 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Aluminum 3003-O or Stainless Steel 303?
For the same stiffness or strength: Aluminum 3003-O is lighter for a stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate, strong panel or plate; Stainless Steel 303 is lighter for a strong rod or tie, strong beam.
Part that must be
Aluminum 3003-O
Stainless Steel 303
Stiff rod or tie (tension)
about equal
about equal
Stiff beam (bending)
lighter
1.7x heavier
Stiff panel or plate
lighter
2.03x heavier
Strong rod or tie
2.38x heavier
lighter
Strong beam
25% heavier
lighter
Strong panel or plate
lighter
10% heavier
For the same stiffness or strength, mass scales with density over stiffness (or strength) raised to a power set by how the part is loaded: 1 for a rod in tension, 1/2 for a beam in bending, 1/3 for a panel (the standard material-selection indices).
Which is more ductile, Aluminum 3003-O or Stainless Steel 303?
Stainless Steel 303 stretches further before it breaks: 35% elongation at break against 30% for Aluminum 3003-O.
Thermal
Which conducts heat better, Aluminum 3003-O or Stainless Steel 303?
Aluminum 3003-O conducts heat better: 193 W/m·K against 15 W/m·K for Stainless Steel 303.
Which expands less with temperature?
Stainless Steel 303 expands less: 16 µm/m·K against 23.2 µm/m·K for Aluminum 3003-O.