Brass C360 vs. Silicon

Compare Brass C360 vs. Silicon strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

Change either side

SiliconGrown single crystal

Mechanical
Try it on a partA sample part to run stress or thermal on, free in your browser	Open in LessCAD	Open in LessCAD
Yield strength	310MPasourcetypical, 0.5% extension under load	not given (tensile used)
Ultimate tensile strength	400MPasourcetypical	130MPasourcemodulus of rupture (bending fracture stress); brittle, no yield point
Flexural strength	not sourced	130MPasourcemodulus of rupture
Elongation at break	25%sourcetypical, 1 in. rod	not sourced
Young's modulus (stiffness)	96.5GPasourcetypical, temper-independent	131GPasourcetypical (single quoted value of an anisotropic crystal)
Density	8,498kg/m³sourcenominal	2,329kg/m³sourcetypical
Strength to weight	36.5kN·m/kg	55.8kN·m/kg1.53x higher
Stiffness to weight	11.4MN·m/kg	56.2MN·m/kg4.95x higher
Poisson's ratio	0.34sourcebase material: leaded free-machining brass CuZn39Pb2 (C37700), Wieland-Z30 rolled products, reference value at room temperature	0.221sourcetypical
Shear modulus	36GPa	53.6GPa49% stiffer in shear
Bulk modulus	101GPa	78.3GPa
Speed of sound	3,370m/s	7,500m/s
Thermal
Thermal conductivity	116W/m·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C	163W/m·Ksourcetypical at 313 K (40 °C)
Thermal expansion	20.5µm/m·Ksourcetypical, mean 20-300 °C	2.62µm/m·Ksourcetypical at 300 K
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing	103µm growth	13.1µm growth7.82x less
Specific heat	377J/kg·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C	732J/kg·Ksourcetypical
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)	36.2mm²/s	95.6mm²/s2.64x faster
Thermal shock resistance	11,997W/m	48,095W/m4.01x more resistant
Melting point	888–899°Csourcesolidus-liquidus	1,412°Csourcetypical
Max service temperature	not sourced	300°Csourceproducer's maximum application temperature (optical components)
Values for	C36000 free-cutting brass, H02 half-hard rod 1 in. section (20% cold work), copper.org typical values	Synthetic single-crystal silicon (cubic, diamond structure), Korth Kristalle (crystal grower) material data; Korth usually supplies Floating Zone (FZ) material, Czochralski (Cz) also offered. Silicon is elastically anisotropic; the producer quotes one modulus and the solver is isotropic.

Every value links to the document that states it. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.

Questions

Is Brass C360 stronger than Silicon?

Brass C360 is stronger: its yield strength is 310 MPa against tensile strength 130 MPa for Silicon (2.38x).

Which is lighter, Brass C360 or Silicon?

Silicon is lighter: 2,329 kg/m³ against 8,498 kg/m³ for Brass C360.

Which is stiffer, Brass C360 or Silicon?

Silicon is stiffer: Young's modulus 131 GPa against 96.5 GPa for Brass C360, so the same part in Silicon deflects less under the same load.

Which is lighter for the same job, Brass C360 or Silicon?

For the same stiffness or strength: Silicon is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate, strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.

Part that must be	Brass C360	Silicon
Stiff rod or tie (tension)	4.95x heavier	lighter
Stiff beam (bending)	4.25x heavier	lighter
Stiff panel or plate	4.04x heavier	lighter
Strong rod or tie	1.53x heavier	lighter
Strong beam	2.04x heavier	lighter
Strong panel or plate	2.36x heavier	lighter

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 conducts heat better, Brass C360 or Silicon?

Silicon conducts heat better: 163 W/m·K against 116 W/m·K for Brass C360.

Which expands less with temperature?

Silicon expands less: 2.62 µm/m·K against 20.5 µm/m·K for Brass C360.

Among 72 materials

Stiffness against density

Strength against density