300°Csourceproducer's maximum application temperature (optical components)
Values for
Sumitomo Chemical SUMIKASUPER LCP E6006L (30% glass fibre; high strength, low shrinkage); SUMIKASUPER LCP Technical Note, Version 04 / Nov. 2023, 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 Plastic LCP GF30 stronger than Silicon?
Silicon is stronger: its tensile strength is 130 MPa against 115 MPa for Plastic LCP GF30 (13%).
Which is lighter, Plastic LCP GF30 or Silicon?
Plastic LCP GF30 is lighter: 1,610 kg/m³ against 2,329 kg/m³ for Silicon.
Which is stiffer, Plastic LCP GF30 or Silicon?
Silicon is stiffer: Young's modulus 131 GPa against 11.5 GPa for Plastic LCP GF30, so the same part in Silicon deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic LCP GF30 or Silicon?
For the same stiffness or strength: Plastic LCP GF30 is lighter for a strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate; Silicon is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate.
Part that must be
Plastic LCP GF30
Silicon
Stiff rod or tie (tension)
7.87x heavier
lighter
Stiff beam (bending)
2.33x heavier
lighter
Stiff panel or plate
1.56x heavier
lighter
Strong rod or tie
lighter
28% heavier
Strong beam
lighter
33% heavier
Strong panel or plate
lighter
36% 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, Plastic LCP GF30 or Silicon?
Silicon conducts heat better: 163 W/m·K against 0.5 W/m·K for Plastic LCP GF30.
Which expands less with temperature?
Silicon expands less: 2.62 µm/m·K against 20 µm/m·K for Plastic LCP GF30.