Materials / Compare

Ceramic Alumina 96% vs. Stainless Steel 304

Compare Ceramic Alumina 96% vs. Stainless Steel 304 strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

Change either side
Ceramic Alumina 96%Sintered ceramic (pressed and fired)
Stainless Steel 304Wrought
Try it on a partA sample part to run stress or thermal on, free in your browserOpen in LessCADOpen in LessCAD
Mechanical
Yield strengthnot given (tensile used)241MPasourcetypical, annealed, 70 °F (21 °C)
Ultimate tensile strength221MPasourcetypical tensile strength, 25 °C (ACMA Test #4)586MPasourcetypical, annealed, 70 °F (21 °C)
Compressive strength2,068MPasourcetypical, 20 °C (ASTM-C773)not sourced
Flexural strength358MPasourceflexural strength (MOR), 20 °C (ASTM-F417)not sourced
Elongation at breaknot sourced55%sourcetypical, annealed, in 2 in. (50.8 mm)
Young's modulus (stiffness)303GPasourcetypical, 20 °C (ASTM-C848)193GPasourcetypical, in tension
Density3,720kg/m³sourcetypical (ASTM-C20)8,030kg/m³sourcetypical
Strength to weight59.4kN·m/kg1.98x higher30kN·m/kg
Stiffness to weight81.5MN·m/kg3.39x higher24MN·m/kg
Poisson's ratio0.21sourcetypical, 20 °C (ASTM-C848)0.3sourcedesign value (structural stainless steels)
Shear modulus125GPa1.69x stiffer in shear74.2GPa
Bulk modulus174GPa161GPa
Speed of sound9,025m/s4,903m/s
Thermal
Thermal conductivity24.7W/m·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C (ASTM-C408)16.2W/m·Ksourceat 100 °C
Thermal expansion8.2µm/m·Ksourcemean, 25-1000 °C (ASTM-C372)16.9µm/m·Ksourcemean, 0–100 °C
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing41µm growth2.06x less84.5µm growth
Specific heat880J/kg·Ksourcetypical, 100 °C (ASTM-E1269)500J/kg·Ksourcemean, 0–100 °C
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)7.55mm²/s1.87x faster4.03mm²/s
Thermal shock resistance1,736W/m2.07x more resistant838W/m
Melting pointnot sourced1,399–1,454°Csourcemelting range
Max service temperaturenot sourced899°Csourcecontinuous, oxidation (scaling) limit in air
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.Type 304, annealed flat-rolled (Cleveland-Cliffs 304/304L Product Data Bulletin, May 2021); Poisson's ratio from the Nickel Institute/SCI structural stainless design manual

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 Stainless Steel 304?

Stainless Steel 304 is stronger: its yield strength is 241 MPa against tensile strength 221 MPa for Ceramic Alumina 96% (9%).

Which is lighter, Ceramic Alumina 96% or Stainless Steel 304?

Ceramic Alumina 96% is lighter: 3,720 kg/m³ against 8,030 kg/m³ for Stainless Steel 304.

Which is stiffer, Ceramic Alumina 96% or Stainless Steel 304?

Ceramic Alumina 96% is stiffer: Young's modulus 303 GPa against 193 GPa for Stainless Steel 304, 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 Stainless Steel 304?

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, strong beam, strong panel or plate.

Part that must beCeramic Alumina 96%Stainless Steel 304
Stiff rod or tie (tension)lighter3.39x heavier
Stiff beam (bending)lighter2.7x heavier
Stiff panel or platelighter2.51x heavier
Strong rod or tielighter1.98x heavier
Strong beamlighter2.04x heavier
Strong panel or platelighter2.07x 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 conducts heat better, Ceramic Alumina 96% or Stainless Steel 304?

Ceramic Alumina 96% conducts heat better: 24.7 W/m·K against 16.2 W/m·K for Stainless Steel 304.

Which expands less with temperature?

Ceramic Alumina 96% expands less: 8.2 µm/m·K against 16.9 µm/m·K for Stainless Steel 304.

Among 72 materials

1k10k0.1110100Density (kg/m³)Young's modulus (GPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless 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-4SiliconCeramic Aluminum NitrideAluminum A380Aluminum 6063-T6Aluminum 1100-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic PPS GF40Plastic LCP GF30Ceramic Alumina 96%Stainless Steel 304
Stiffness against density
1k10k101001kDensity (kg/m³)Yield strength (MPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonRubberAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless 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-4SiliconAluminum A380Aluminum 6063-T6Aluminum 1100-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic PPS GF40Plastic LCP GF30Ceramic Alumina 96%Stainless Steel 304
Strength against density

Related comparisons