Materials / Compare

Concrete vs. Silicon

Compare Concrete vs. Silicon strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

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ConcreteCast
SiliconGrown single crystal
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Mechanical
Yield strengthnot sourcednot given (tensile used)
Ultimate tensile strengthnot sourced130MPasourcemodulus of rupture (bending fracture stress); brittle, no yield point
Compressive strength27.6MPasourcespecified compressive strength class (f'c), not a measured typicalnot sourced
Flexural strengthnot sourced130MPasourcemodulus of rupture
Elongation at breaknot sourcednot sourced
Young's modulus (stiffness)not sourced131GPasourcetypical (single quoted value of an anisotropic crystal)
Density2,240–2,400kg/m³sourcerange for normalweight concrete2,329kg/m³sourcetypical
Strength to weightnot sourced55.8kN·m/kg
Stiffness to weightnot sourced56.2MN·m/kg
Poisson's ratio0.15–0.2sourcegeneral range at normal ambient conditions (overall 0.11-0.32)0.221sourcetypical
Shear modulusnot sourced53.6GPa
Bulk modulusnot sourced78.3GPa
Speed of soundnot sourced7,500m/s
Thermal
Thermal conductivity0.9W/m·Ksourcetypical (comparative value)163W/m·Ksourcetypical at 313 K (40 °C)
Thermal expansion8–12µm/m·Ksourcetypical range for portland cement concrete (aggregate dependent)2.62µm/m·Ksourcetypical at 300 K
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing50µm growth13.1µm growth3.82x less
Specific heat900J/kg·Ksourcetypical (NIST guidance for thermal analysis)732J/kg·Ksourcetypical
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)0.431mm²/s95.6mm²/s222x faster
Thermal shock resistancenot sourced48,095W/m
Melting pointnot sourced1,412°Csourcetypical
Max service temperature65°Csourcecode long-term temperature limit (ASME Code, concrete containments)300°Csourceproducer's maximum application temperature (optical components)
Values forNormal-weight portland cement concrete, strength class f'c = 4000 psi (28 MPa) per NRMCA CIP 35; density NRMCA CIP 36; thermal conductivity USDA FPL Wood Handbook; service temperature ORNL/NRC reviewSynthetic single-crystal silicon (cubic, diamond structure), Korth Kristalle (crystal grower) material data; Korth usually supplies Floating Zone (FZ) material, Czochralski (Cz) also offered. Silicon is elastically anisotropic; the producer quotes one modulus and the solver is isotropic.

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, Concrete or Silicon?

Concrete is lighter: 2,320 kg/m³ against 2,329 kg/m³ for Silicon.

Which conducts heat better, Concrete or Silicon?

Silicon conducts heat better: 163 W/m·K against 0.9 W/m·K for Concrete.

Which expands less with temperature?

Silicon expands less: 2.62 µm/m·K against 10 µm/m·K for Concrete.

Among 72 materials

1k10k0.1110100Density (kg/m³)Young's modulus (GPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 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-4Ceramic Alumina 96%Ceramic Aluminum NitrideAluminum A380Aluminum 6063-T6Aluminum 1100-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic PPS GF40Plastic LCP GF30Silicon
Stiffness against density
1k10k101001kDensity (kg/m³)Yield strength (MPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonRubberAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 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-4Ceramic Alumina 96%Aluminum A380Aluminum 6063-T6Aluminum 1100-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic PPS GF40Plastic LCP GF30Silicon
Strength against density

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