Ceramic Aluminum Nitride vs. Plastic Polycarbonate

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

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Ceramic Aluminum NitrideSintered ceramic (pressed and fired)

Plastic PolycarbonateBulk polymer (molded or machined)

Mechanical
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Yield strength	not sourced	65MPasourcetypical, tensile yield
Ultimate tensile strength	not sourced	65MPasourcetypical, stress at break
Flexural strength	310MPasource3-point bending strength (JIS R 1601)	97MPasourcetypical, flexural strength
Elongation at break	not sourced	125%sourcetypical, strain at break
Young's modulus (stiffness)	320GPasourcetypical (JIS R 1602)	2.4GPasourcetypical
Density	3,400kg/m³sourcetypical (JIS R 1634)	1,200kg/m³sourcetypical
Strength to weight	not sourced	54.2kN·m/kg
Stiffness to weight	94.1MN·m/kg47.1x higher	2MN·m/kg
Poisson's ratio	0.24sourcetypical (JIS R 1602)	0.38sourcetypical, polycarbonate family (Covestro Part and Mold Design guide, Table 3-1)
Shear modulus	129GPa148x stiffer in shear	0.87GPa
Bulk modulus	205GPa	3.33GPa
Speed of sound	9,701m/s	1,414m/s
Thermal
Thermal conductivity	150W/m·Ksourcetypical (JIS R 1611)	0.2W/m·Ksourcetypical, through-plane, 23 C
Thermal expansion	4.6µm/m·Ksourcemean, 40-400 °C (JIS R 1618)	65µm/m·Ksourcetypical, 23-55 C, parallel and normal
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing	23µm growth14.1x less	325µm growth
Specific heat	710J/kg·Ksourcetypical (JIS R 1611)	1,172J/kg·Ksourcetypical (guide value), Bayer ASTM datasheet for Makrolon 2405, ASTM D 2766
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)	62.1mm²/s437x faster	0.142mm²/s
Thermal shock resistance	not sourced	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	KYOCERA AN216A dense sintered aluminium nitride, typical values; KYOCERA Fineceramics Europe data sheet 2023.04.03	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

Which is lighter, Ceramic Aluminum Nitride or Plastic Polycarbonate?

Plastic Polycarbonate is lighter: 1,200 kg/m³ against 3,400 kg/m³ for Ceramic Aluminum Nitride.

Which is stiffer, Ceramic Aluminum Nitride or Plastic Polycarbonate?

Ceramic Aluminum Nitride is stiffer: Young's modulus 320 GPa against 2.4 GPa for Plastic Polycarbonate, 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 Polycarbonate?

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 Polycarbonate
Stiff rod or tie (tension)	lighter	47.1x heavier
Stiff beam (bending)	lighter	4.08x heavier
Stiff panel or plate	lighter	1.8x 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 Polycarbonate?

Ceramic Aluminum Nitride conducts heat better: 150 W/m·K against 0.2 W/m·K for Plastic Polycarbonate.

Which expands less with temperature?

Ceramic Aluminum Nitride expands less: 4.6 µm/m·K against 65 µm/m·K for Plastic Polycarbonate.

Among 72 materials

Stiffness against density

Strength against density