Copper C110 vs. Silicon

Compare Copper C110 vs. Silicon strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

Change either side

SiliconGrown single crystal

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	69MPasourcetypical, 0.5% extension under load	not given (tensile used)
Ultimate tensile strength	221MPasourcetypical	130MPasourcemodulus of rupture (bending fracture stress); brittle, no yield point
Flexural strength	not sourced	130MPasourcemodulus of rupture
Elongation at break	55%sourcetypical, 1 in. rod	not sourced
Young's modulus (stiffness)	117GPasourcetypical	131GPasourcetypical (single quoted value of an anisotropic crystal)
Density	8,913kg/m³sourcenominal	2,329kg/m³sourcetypical
Strength to weight	7.74kN·m/kg	55.8kN·m/kg7.21x higher
Stiffness to weight	13.1MN·m/kg	56.2MN·m/kg4.28x higher
Poisson's ratio	0.34sourcereference value at room temperature (Wieland-K32 = Cu-ETP = C11000, rolled products)	0.221sourcetypical
Shear modulus	43.7GPa	53.6GPa23% stiffer in shear
Bulk modulus	122GPa	78.3GPa
Speed of sound	3,626m/s	7,500m/s
Thermal
Thermal conductivity	391W/m·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C	163W/m·Ksourcetypical at 313 K (40 °C)
Thermal expansion	16.9µm/m·Ksourcetypical, mean 20-100 °C	2.62µm/m·Ksourcetypical at 300 K
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing	84.5µm growth	13.1µm growth6.45x less
Specific heat	385J/kg·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C	732J/kg·Ksourcetypical
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)	114mm²/s19% faster	95.6mm²/s
Thermal shock resistance	8,992W/m	48,095W/m5.35x more resistant
Melting point	1,065–1,083°Csourcesolidus-liquidus	1,412°Csourcetypical
Max service temperature	not sourced	300°Csourceproducer's maximum application temperature (optical components)
Values for	C11000 ETP copper, annealed to 0.050 mm grain size (OS050), 1 in. rod, copper.org typical values	Synthetic 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

Is Copper C110 stronger than Silicon?

Silicon is stronger: its tensile strength is 130 MPa against yield strength 69 MPa for Copper C110 (1.88x).

Which is lighter, Copper C110 or Silicon?

Silicon is lighter: 2,329 kg/m³ against 8,913 kg/m³ for Copper C110.

Which is stiffer, Copper C110 or Silicon?

Silicon is stiffer: Young's modulus 131 GPa against 117 GPa for Copper C110, so the same part in Silicon deflects less under the same load.

Which is lighter for the same job, Copper C110 or Silicon?

For the same stiffness or strength: Silicon is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate, strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.

Part that must be	Copper C110	Silicon
Stiff rod or tie (tension)	4.28x heavier	lighter
Stiff beam (bending)	4.05x heavier	lighter
Stiff panel or plate	3.97x heavier	lighter
Strong rod or tie	7.21x heavier	lighter
Strong beam	5.84x heavier	lighter
Strong panel or plate	5.25x heavier	lighter

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, Copper C110 or Silicon?

Copper C110 conducts heat better: 391 W/m·K against 163 W/m·K for Silicon.

Which expands less with temperature?

Silicon expands less: 2.62 µm/m·K against 16.9 µm/m·K for Copper C110.

Among 72 materials

Stiffness against density

Strength against density