Ceramic Aluminum Nitride vs. Plastic Polypropylene

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

Change either side

Ceramic Aluminum NitrideSintered ceramic (pressed and fired)

Plastic PolypropyleneBulk polymer (molded or machined)

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	33MPasourcetypical, tensile stress at yield ISO 527
Ultimate tensile strength	not sourced	not sourced
Flexural strength	310MPasource3-point bending strength (JIS R 1601)	not sourced
Elongation at break	not sourced	not sourced
Young's modulus (stiffness)	320GPasourcetypical (JIS R 1602)	1.45GPasourcetypical, tensile modulus ISO 527
Density	3,400kg/m³sourcetypical (JIS R 1634)	900kg/m³sourcetypical, 23 °C ISO 1183-1
Strength to weight	not sourced	36.7kN·m/kg
Stiffness to weight	94.1MN·m/kg58.4x higher	1.61MN·m/kg
Poisson's ratio	0.24sourcetypical (JIS R 1602)	0.42sourcebase material: polypropylene homopolymer family (INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA, Typical Engineering Properties of Polypropylene)
Shear modulus	129GPa253x stiffer in shear	0.511GPa
Bulk modulus	205GPa	3.02GPa
Speed of sound	9,701m/s	1,269m/s
Thermal
Thermal conductivity	150W/m·Ksourcetypical (JIS R 1611)	0.17–0.22W/m·Ksourcebase material: polypropylene homopolymer family (INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA, Typical Engineering Properties of Polypropylene)
Thermal expansion	4.6µm/m·Ksourcemean, 40-400 °C (JIS R 1618)	80–100µm/m·Ksourcebase material: polypropylene homopolymer family (INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA, Typical Engineering Properties of Polypropylene)
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing	23µm growth19.6x less	450µm growth
Specific heat	710J/kg·Ksourcetypical (JIS R 1611)	not sourced
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)	62.1mm²/s	not sourced
Thermal shock resistance	not sourced	28.6W/m
Max service temperature	not sourced	90°CsourceHDT 0.45 MPa (ISO 75B), unannealed
Values for	KYOCERA AN216A dense sintered aluminium nitride, typical values; KYOCERA Fineceramics Europe data sheet 2023.04.03	LyondellBasell Moplen HP501H polypropylene homopolymer (general purpose), typical ISO 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 Polypropylene?

Plastic Polypropylene is lighter: 900 kg/m³ against 3,400 kg/m³ for Ceramic Aluminum Nitride.

Which is stiffer, Ceramic Aluminum Nitride or Plastic Polypropylene?

Ceramic Aluminum Nitride is stiffer: Young's modulus 320 GPa against 1.45 GPa for Plastic Polypropylene, 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 Polypropylene?

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 Polypropylene
Stiff rod or tie (tension)	lighter	58.4x heavier
Stiff beam (bending)	lighter	3.93x heavier
Stiff panel or plate	lighter	1.6x 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 Polypropylene?

Ceramic Aluminum Nitride conducts heat better: 150 W/m·K against 0.195 W/m·K for Plastic Polypropylene.

Which expands less with temperature?

Ceramic Aluminum Nitride expands less: 4.6 µm/m·K against 90 µm/m·K for Plastic Polypropylene.

Among 72 materials

Stiffness against density

Strength against density