Materials / Compare

Ceramic Alumina 96% vs. Silicon

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

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Ceramic Alumina 96%Sintered ceramic (pressed and fired)
SiliconGrown single crystal
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Mechanical
Yield strengthnot given (tensile used)not given (tensile used)
Ultimate tensile strength221MPasourcetypical tensile strength, 25 °C (ACMA Test #4)130MPasourcemodulus of rupture (bending fracture stress); brittle, no yield point
Compressive strength2,068MPasourcetypical, 20 °C (ASTM-C773)not sourced
Flexural strength358MPasourceflexural strength (MOR), 20 °C (ASTM-F417)130MPasourcemodulus of rupture
Elongation at breaknot sourcednot sourced
Young's modulus (stiffness)303GPasourcetypical, 20 °C (ASTM-C848)131GPasourcetypical (single quoted value of an anisotropic crystal)
Density3,720kg/m³sourcetypical (ASTM-C20)2,329kg/m³sourcetypical
Strength to weight59.4kN·m/kg6% higher55.8kN·m/kg
Stiffness to weight81.5MN·m/kg45% higher56.2MN·m/kg
Poisson's ratio0.21sourcetypical, 20 °C (ASTM-C848)0.221sourcetypical
Shear modulus125GPa2.33x stiffer in shear53.6GPa
Bulk modulus174GPa78.3GPa
Speed of sound9,025m/s7,500m/s
Thermal
Thermal conductivity24.7W/m·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C (ASTM-C408)163W/m·Ksourcetypical at 313 K (40 °C)
Thermal expansion8.2µm/m·Ksourcemean, 25-1000 °C (ASTM-C372)2.62µm/m·Ksourcetypical at 300 K
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing41µm growth13.1µm growth3.13x less
Specific heat880J/kg·Ksourcetypical, 100 °C (ASTM-E1269)732J/kg·Ksourcetypical
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)7.55mm²/s95.6mm²/s12.7x faster
Thermal shock resistance1,736W/m48,095W/m27.7x more resistant
Melting pointnot sourced1,412°Csourcetypical
Max service temperaturenot sourced300°Csourceproducer's maximum application temperature (optical components)
Values forCoorsTek 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.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 Ceramic Alumina 96% stronger than Silicon?

Ceramic Alumina 96% is stronger: its tensile strength is 221 MPa against 130 MPa for Silicon (1.7x).

Which is lighter, Ceramic Alumina 96% or Silicon?

Silicon is lighter: 2,329 kg/m³ against 3,720 kg/m³ for Ceramic Alumina 96%.

Which is stiffer, Ceramic Alumina 96% or Silicon?

Ceramic Alumina 96% is stiffer: Young's modulus 303 GPa against 131 GPa for Silicon, 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 Silicon?

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

Part that must beCeramic Alumina 96%Silicon
Stiff rod or tie (tension)lighter45% heavier
Stiff beam (bending)5% heavierlighter
Stiff panel or plate21% heavierlighter
Strong rod or tielighter6% heavier
Strong beam12% heavierlighter
Strong panel or plate22% heavierlighter

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 Silicon?

Silicon conducts heat better: 163 W/m·K against 24.7 W/m·K for Ceramic Alumina 96%.

Which expands less with temperature?

Silicon expands less: 2.62 µm/m·K against 8.2 µm/m·K for Ceramic Alumina 96%.

Among 72 materials

1k10k0.1110100Density (kg/m³)Young's modulus (GPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 303Stainless Steel 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 5052-H32Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VBrass C260Nickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic POM/AcetalPlastic Nylon PA6Plastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM PAHT-CFFDM HIPSSLA Resin Tough 2000SLS PA12 NylonDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelPCB Laminate FR-4Ceramic Aluminum NitrideAluminum A380Aluminum 6063-T6Aluminum 1100-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic PPS GF40Plastic LCP GF30Ceramic Alumina 96%Silicon
Stiffness against density
1k10k101001kDensity (kg/m³)Yield strength (MPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonRubberAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 303Stainless Steel 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 5052-H32Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VBrass C260Nickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic POM/AcetalPlastic Nylon PA6Plastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic PTFEPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM PAHT-CFFDM HIPSSLA Resin Tough 2000SLA Resin Elastic 50ASLS PA12 NylonDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelBrickPCB Laminate FR-4Aluminum A380Aluminum 6063-T6Aluminum 1100-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic PPS GF40Plastic LCP GF30Ceramic Alumina 96%Silicon
Strength against density

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