300°Csourceproducer's maximum application temperature (optical components)
Values for
BASF Ultramid B3S (PA6, unreinforced injection-moulding grade), Product Information 02/2026, dry values (ISO methods)
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 Nylon PA6 stronger than Silicon?
Silicon is stronger: its tensile strength is 130 MPa against yield strength 90 MPa for Plastic Nylon PA6 (44%).
Which is lighter, Plastic Nylon PA6 or Silicon?
Plastic Nylon PA6 is lighter: 1,130 kg/m³ against 2,329 kg/m³ for Silicon.
Which is stiffer, Plastic Nylon PA6 or Silicon?
Silicon is stiffer: Young's modulus 131 GPa against 3.5 GPa for Plastic Nylon PA6, so the same part in Silicon deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic Nylon PA6 or Silicon?
For the same stiffness or strength: Plastic Nylon PA6 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 Nylon PA6
Silicon
Stiff rod or tie (tension)
18.2x heavier
lighter
Stiff beam (bending)
2.97x heavier
lighter
Stiff panel or plate
1.62x heavier
lighter
Strong rod or tie
lighter
43% heavier
Strong beam
lighter
1.61x heavier
Strong panel or plate
lighter
1.71x 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 Nylon PA6 or Silicon?
Silicon conducts heat better: 163 W/m·K against 0.33 W/m·K for Plastic Nylon PA6.
Which expands less with temperature?
Silicon expands less: 2.62 µm/m·K against 102 µm/m·K for Plastic Nylon PA6.