Ceramic Aluminum Nitride vs. Plastic POM/Acetal

Compare Ceramic Aluminum Nitride vs. Plastic POM/Acetal strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

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Ceramic Aluminum NitrideSintered ceramic (pressed and fired)

Plastic POM/AcetalBulk polymer (molded or machined)

Mechanical
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Yield strength	not sourced	69MPasourcetypical (single ASTM D638 tensile strength)
Ultimate tensile strength	not sourced	69MPasourcetypical
Compressive strength	not sourced	124MPasourcecompressive stress at 10% deformation
Flexural strength	310MPasource3-point bending strength (JIS R 1601)	99MPasourceflexural yield strength, typical
Elongation at break	not sourced	75%sourcetypical
Young's modulus (stiffness)	320GPasourcetypical (JIS R 1602)	2.8GPasourcetypical
Density	3,400kg/m³sourcetypical (JIS R 1634)	1,420kg/m³sourcetypical (DuPont product information for Delrin 100 NC010; 'The data listed here fall within the normal range of product properties')
Strength to weight	not sourced	48.6kN·m/kg
Stiffness to weight	94.1MN·m/kg47.7x higher	1.97MN·m/kg
Poisson's ratio	0.24sourcetypical (JIS R 1602)	0.35sourcetypical
Shear modulus	129GPa124x stiffer in shear	1.04GPa
Bulk modulus	205GPa	3.11GPa
Speed of sound	9,701m/s	1,404m/s
Thermal
Thermal conductivity	150W/m·Ksourcetypical (JIS R 1611)	0.4W/m·Ksourcetypical
Thermal expansion	4.6µm/m·Ksourcemean, 40-400 °C (JIS R 1618)	122µm/m·Ksourcemean, 29 to 60 °C
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing	23µm growth26.5x less	610µm growth
Specific heat	710J/kg·Ksourcetypical (JIS R 1611)	1,465J/kg·Ksourceaverage -18 to 100 °C, Delrin acetal resins (not grade-specific)
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)	62.1mm²/s323x faster	0.192mm²/s
Thermal shock resistance	not sourced	52.5W/m
Melting point	not sourced	175°Csourcecrystalline melting point
Max service temperature	not sourced	125°CsourceHDT 1.8 MPa (annealed)
Values for	KYOCERA AN216A dense sintered aluminium nitride, typical values; KYOCERA Fineceramics Europe data sheet 2023.04.03	DuPont Delrin 100 acetal homopolymer, Table 2 'Typical Properties of Delrin Acetal Resins' (ASTM methods), Delrin Design Guide Module III hosted on delrin.com

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 POM/Acetal?

Plastic POM/Acetal is lighter: 1,420 kg/m³ against 3,400 kg/m³ for Ceramic Aluminum Nitride.

Which is stiffer, Ceramic Aluminum Nitride or Plastic POM/Acetal?

Ceramic Aluminum Nitride is stiffer: Young's modulus 320 GPa against 2.8 GPa for Plastic POM/Acetal, 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 POM/Acetal?

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 POM/Acetal
Stiff rod or tie (tension)	lighter	47.7x heavier
Stiff beam (bending)	lighter	4.46x heavier
Stiff panel or plate	lighter	2.03x 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 POM/Acetal?

Ceramic Aluminum Nitride conducts heat better: 150 W/m·K against 0.4 W/m·K for Plastic POM/Acetal.

Which expands less with temperature?

Ceramic Aluminum Nitride expands less: 4.6 µm/m·K against 122 µm/m·K for Plastic POM/Acetal.

Among 72 materials

Stiffness against density

Strength against density