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Ceramic Aluminum Nitride vs. Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)

Compare Ceramic Aluminum Nitride vs. Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

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Ceramic Aluminum NitrideSintered ceramic (pressed and fired)
Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Bulk polymer (molded or machined)
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Mechanical
Yield strengthnot sourced45MPasourcetypical, tensile stress at yield 23 °C
Ultimate tensile strengthnot sourcednot sourced
Flexural strength310MPasource3-point bending strength (JIS R 1601)65MPasourcetypical, 23 °C
Elongation at breaknot sourced10%sourcenominal strain at break, 23 °C
Young's modulus (stiffness)320GPasourcetypical (JIS R 1602)2.3GPasourcetypical
Density3,400kg/m³sourcetypical (JIS R 1634)1,040kg/m³sourcetypical
Strength to weightnot sourced43.3kN·m/kg
Stiffness to weight94.1MN·m/kg42.6x higher2.21MN·m/kg
Poisson's ratio0.24sourcetypical (JIS R 1602)0.39sourcetypical, ABS family (Covestro Part and Mold Design guide, Table 3-1)
Shear modulus129GPa156x stiffer in shear0.827GPa
Bulk modulus205GPa3.48GPa
Speed of sound9,701m/s1,487m/s
Thermal
Thermal conductivity150W/m·Ksourcetypical (JIS R 1611)0.17W/m·Ksourcetypical
Thermal expansion4.6µm/m·Ksourcemean, 40-400 °C (JIS R 1618)80–110µm/m·Ksourcerange
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing23µm growth20.7x less475µm growth
Specific heat710J/kg·Ksourcetypical (JIS R 1611)not sourced
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)62.1mm²/snot sourced
Thermal shock resistancenot sourced21.4W/m
Max service temperaturenot sourced94°CsourceHDT 1.8 MPa (annealed 4 h/80 °C)
Values forKYOCERA AN216A dense sintered aluminium nitride, typical values; KYOCERA Fineceramics Europe data sheet 2023.04.03INEOS Styrolution Terluran GP-22 general-purpose injection-molding ABS, ISO typical values (TDS revision 08/01/2022)

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

Which is lighter, Ceramic Aluminum Nitride or Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)?

Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) is lighter: 1,040 kg/m³ against 3,400 kg/m³ for Ceramic Aluminum Nitride.

Which is stiffer, Ceramic Aluminum Nitride or Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)?

Ceramic Aluminum Nitride is stiffer: Young's modulus 320 GPa against 2.3 GPa for Plastic ABS (bulk/injection), so the same part in Ceramic Aluminum Nitride deflects less under the same load.

Which is lighter for the same job, Ceramic Aluminum Nitride or Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)?

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

Part that must beCeramic Aluminum NitridePlastic ABS (bulk/injection)
Stiff rod or tie (tension)lighter42.6x heavier
Stiff beam (bending)lighter3.61x heavier
Stiff panel or platelighter1.58x 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 Aluminum Nitride or Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)?

Ceramic Aluminum Nitride conducts heat better: 150 W/m·K against 0.17 W/m·K for Plastic ABS (bulk/injection).

Which expands less with temperature?

Ceramic Aluminum Nitride expands less: 4.6 µm/m·K against 95 µm/m·K for Plastic ABS (bulk/injection).

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 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 Alumina 96%Aluminum A380Aluminum 6063-T6Aluminum 1100-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic PPS GF40Plastic LCP GF30Ceramic Aluminum NitridePlastic ABS (bulk/injection)
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 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-4SiliconCeramic Alumina 96%Aluminum A380Aluminum 6063-T6Aluminum 1100-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic PPS GF40Plastic LCP GF30Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)
Strength against density

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