Ceramic Aluminum Nitride vs. Plastic PETG

Compare Ceramic Aluminum Nitride vs. Plastic PETG strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

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Ceramic Aluminum NitrideSintered ceramic (pressed and fired)

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 sourced	46.2MPasourcetypical
Ultimate tensile strength	not sourced	46.2MPasourcetypical, peak stress (= stress at yield)
Flexural strength	310MPasource3-point bending strength (JIS R 1601)	78.9MPasourcetypical
Elongation at break	not sourced	7.6%sourcetypical
Young's modulus (stiffness)	320GPasourcetypical (JIS R 1602)	1.94GPasourcetypical
Density	3,400kg/m³sourcetypical (JIS R 1634)	1,270kg/m³sourcetypical
Strength to weight	not sourced	36.4kN·m/kg
Stiffness to weight	94.1MN·m/kg61.6x higher	1.53MN·m/kg
Poisson's ratio	0.24sourcetypical (JIS R 1602)	not sourced
Shear modulus	129GPa	not sourced
Bulk modulus	205GPa	not sourced
Speed of sound	9,701m/s	1,236m/s
Thermal
Thermal conductivity	150W/m·Ksourcetypical (JIS R 1611)	0.21W/m·Ksourcebase material: Eastman Eastar Copolyester 6763 (PETG), typical
Thermal expansion	4.6µm/m·Ksourcemean, 40-400 °C (JIS R 1618)	51µm/m·Ksourcebase material: Eastman Eastar Copolyester 6763 (PETG), typical
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing	23µm growth11.1x less	255µm growth
Specific heat	710J/kg·Ksourcetypical (JIS R 1611)	1,300J/kg·Ksourcebase material: Eastman Eastar Copolyester 6763 (PETG), DSC at 60 °C (lowest temperature listed)
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)	62.1mm²/s489x faster	0.127mm²/s
Thermal shock resistance	not sourced	not sourced
Glass transition	not sourced	77.4°Csourcetypical
Max service temperature	not sourced	76.2°CsourceHDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens)
Values for	KYOCERA AN216A dense sintered aluminium nitride, typical values; KYOCERA Fineceramics Europe data sheet 2023.04.03	Ultimaker PETG, 3D-printed specimens, XY (flat); Ultimaker S5 Pro, engineering intent profile, 0.15 mm layer height, AA 0.4 print core, 100% infill, Cura 4.9, printed one-at-a-time, conditioned >=24 h at room temperature. TDS v1.00, April 29, 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.

Plastic PETG is 3D printed: its properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.

Questions

Which is lighter, Ceramic Aluminum Nitride or Plastic PETG?

Plastic PETG is lighter: 1,270 kg/m³ against 3,400 kg/m³ for Ceramic Aluminum Nitride.

Which is stiffer, Ceramic Aluminum Nitride or Plastic PETG?

Ceramic Aluminum Nitride is stiffer: Young's modulus 320 GPa against 1.94 GPa for Plastic PETG, 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 PETG?

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 be	Ceramic Aluminum Nitride	Plastic PETG
Stiff rod or tie (tension)	lighter	61.6x heavier
Stiff beam (bending)	lighter	4.8x heavier
Stiff panel or plate	lighter	2.05x 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 PETG?

Ceramic Aluminum Nitride conducts heat better: 150 W/m·K against 0.21 W/m·K for Plastic PETG.

Which expands less with temperature?

Ceramic Aluminum Nitride expands less: 4.6 µm/m·K against 51 µm/m·K for Plastic PETG.

Among 72 materials

Stiffness against density

Strength against density