Ceramic Alumina 96% vs. Plastic Polycarbonate

Compare Ceramic Alumina 96% vs. Plastic Polycarbonate strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

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Ceramic Alumina 96%Sintered ceramic (pressed and fired)

Plastic PolycarbonateBulk polymer (molded or machined)

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	not given (tensile used)	65MPasourcetypical, tensile yield
Ultimate tensile strength	221MPasourcetypical tensile strength, 25 °C (ACMA Test #4)	65MPasourcetypical, stress at break
Compressive strength	2,068MPasourcetypical, 20 °C (ASTM-C773)	not sourced
Flexural strength	358MPasourceflexural strength (MOR), 20 °C (ASTM-F417)	97MPasourcetypical, flexural strength
Elongation at break	not sourced	125%sourcetypical, strain at break
Young's modulus (stiffness)	303GPasourcetypical, 20 °C (ASTM-C848)	2.4GPasourcetypical
Density	3,720kg/m³sourcetypical (ASTM-C20)	1,200kg/m³sourcetypical
Strength to weight	59.4kN·m/kg10% higher	54.2kN·m/kg
Stiffness to weight	81.5MN·m/kg40.7x higher	2MN·m/kg
Poisson's ratio	0.21sourcetypical, 20 °C (ASTM-C848)	0.38sourcetypical, polycarbonate family (Covestro Part and Mold Design guide, Table 3-1)
Shear modulus	125GPa144x stiffer in shear	0.87GPa
Bulk modulus	174GPa	3.33GPa
Speed of sound	9,025m/s	1,414m/s
Thermal
Thermal conductivity	24.7W/m·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C (ASTM-C408)	0.2W/m·Ksourcetypical, through-plane, 23 C
Thermal expansion	8.2µm/m·Ksourcemean, 25-1000 °C (ASTM-C372)	65µm/m·Ksourcetypical, 23-55 C, parallel and normal
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing	41µm growth7.93x less	325µm growth
Specific heat	880J/kg·Ksourcetypical, 100 °C (ASTM-E1269)	1,172J/kg·Ksourcetypical (guide value), Bayer ASTM datasheet for Makrolon 2405, ASTM D 2766
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)	7.55mm²/s53.1x faster	0.142mm²/s
Thermal shock resistance	1,736W/m33.6x more resistant	51.7W/m
Glass transition	not sourced	144°Csourcetypical, DSC 10 C/min
Max service temperature	not sourced	125°CsourceUL 746B RTI, tensile strength, 1.5 mm
Values for	CoorsTek AD-96, nominal 96% Al2O3 sintered alumina, typical values; CoorsTek "Ceramic Seal Material Properties" (© 2018, 01899 F). AD-96 is the general 96% grade, not the ADS-96R substrate grade.	Covestro Makrolon 2405 general-purpose PC (MVR 19), Covestro technical datasheet version 2026-09-28, typical values

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 Ceramic Alumina 96% stronger than Plastic Polycarbonate?

Ceramic Alumina 96% is stronger: its tensile strength is 221 MPa against yield strength 65 MPa for Plastic Polycarbonate (3.4x).

Which is lighter, Ceramic Alumina 96% or Plastic Polycarbonate?

Plastic Polycarbonate is lighter: 1,200 kg/m³ against 3,720 kg/m³ for Ceramic Alumina 96%.

Which is stiffer, Ceramic Alumina 96% or Plastic Polycarbonate?

Ceramic Alumina 96% is stiffer: Young's modulus 303 GPa against 2.4 GPa for Plastic Polycarbonate, so the same part in Ceramic Alumina 96% deflects less under the same load.

Which is lighter for the same job, Ceramic Alumina 96% or Plastic Polycarbonate?

For the same stiffness or strength: Ceramic Alumina 96% is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate, strong rod or tie; Plastic Polycarbonate is lighter for a strong beam, strong panel or plate.

Part that must be	Ceramic Alumina 96%	Plastic Polycarbonate
Stiff rod or tie (tension)	lighter	40.7x heavier
Stiff beam (bending)	lighter	3.62x heavier
Stiff panel or plate	lighter	1.62x heavier
Strong rod or tie	lighter	10% heavier
Strong beam	37% heavier	lighter
Strong panel or plate	1.68x 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, Ceramic Alumina 96% or Plastic Polycarbonate?

Ceramic Alumina 96% conducts heat better: 24.7 W/m·K against 0.2 W/m·K for Plastic Polycarbonate.

Which expands less with temperature?

Ceramic Alumina 96% expands less: 8.2 µm/m·K against 65 µm/m·K for Plastic Polycarbonate.

Among 72 materials

Stiffness against density

Strength against density