Materials / Compare

Ceramic Aluminum Nitride vs. Stainless Steel 316

Compare Ceramic Aluminum Nitride vs. Stainless Steel 316 strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

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Ceramic Aluminum NitrideSintered ceramic (pressed and fired)
Stainless Steel 316Wrought
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Mechanical
Yield strengthnot sourced265MPasourcetypical (representative), annealed 1.0 mm sheet
Ultimate tensile strengthnot sourced583MPasourcetypical (representative), annealed 1.0 mm sheet
Flexural strength310MPasource3-point bending strength (JIS R 1601)not sourced
Elongation at breaknot sourced61%sourcetypical (representative), annealed, in 2 in. (51 mm)
Young's modulus (stiffness)320GPasourcetypical (JIS R 1602)200GPasourcetypical, in tension
Density3,400kg/m³sourcetypical (JIS R 1634)8,027kg/m³sourcetypical
Strength to weightnot sourced33kN·m/kg
Stiffness to weight94.1MN·m/kg3.78x higher24.9MN·m/kg
Poisson's ratio0.24sourcetypical (JIS R 1602)0.3sourcedesign value (structural stainless steels)
Shear modulus129GPa1.68x stiffer in shear76.9GPa
Bulk modulus205GPa167GPa
Speed of sound9,701m/s4,992m/s
Thermal
Thermal conductivity150W/m·Ksourcetypical (JIS R 1611)14.6W/m·Ksource20–100 °C
Thermal expansion4.6µm/m·Ksourcemean, 40-400 °C (JIS R 1618)16.5µm/m·Ksourcemean, 20–100 °C
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing23µm growth3.59x less82.5µm growth
Specific heat710J/kg·Ksourcetypical (JIS R 1611)450J/kg·Ksourceat 20 °C
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)62.1mm²/s15.4x faster4.04mm²/s
Thermal shock resistancenot sourced821W/m
Melting pointnot sourced1,390–1,440°Csourcemelting range
Max service temperaturenot sourced871–899°Csourceoxidation (scaling) limit in air
Values forKYOCERA AN216A dense sintered aluminium nitride, typical values; KYOCERA Fineceramics Europe data sheet 2023.04.03ATI 316 (UNS S31600), annealed 1.0 mm sheet, ATI technical data sheet (2012); Poisson's ratio from the Nickel Institute/SCI structural stainless design manual

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 Stainless Steel 316?

Ceramic Aluminum Nitride is lighter: 3,400 kg/m³ against 8,027 kg/m³ for Stainless Steel 316.

Which is stiffer, Ceramic Aluminum Nitride or Stainless Steel 316?

Ceramic Aluminum Nitride is stiffer: Young's modulus 320 GPa against 200 GPa for Stainless Steel 316, 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 Stainless Steel 316?

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 NitrideStainless Steel 316
Stiff rod or tie (tension)lighter3.78x heavier
Stiff beam (bending)lighter2.99x heavier
Stiff panel or platelighter2.76x 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 Stainless Steel 316?

Ceramic Aluminum Nitride conducts heat better: 150 W/m·K against 14.6 W/m·K for Stainless Steel 316.

Which expands less with temperature?

Ceramic Aluminum Nitride expands less: 4.6 µm/m·K against 16.5 µm/m·K for Stainless Steel 316.

Among 72 materials

1k10k0.1110100Density (kg/m³)Young's modulus (GPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Aluminum 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 ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic 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 NitrideStainless Steel 316
Stiffness against density
1k10k101001kDensity (kg/m³)Yield strength (MPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonRubberAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Aluminum 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 ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic 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 GF30Stainless Steel 316
Strength against density

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