300°Csourceproducer's maximum application temperature (optical components)
899°Csourcecontinuous, oxidation (scaling) limit in air
Values for
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.
Type 304, annealed flat-rolled (Cleveland-Cliffs 304/304L Product Data Bulletin, May 2021); 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
Is Silicon stronger than Stainless Steel 304?
Stainless Steel 304 is stronger: its yield strength is 241 MPa against tensile strength 130 MPa for Silicon (1.85x).
Which is lighter, Silicon or Stainless Steel 304?
Silicon is lighter: 2,329 kg/m³ against 8,030 kg/m³ for Stainless Steel 304.
Which is stiffer, Silicon or Stainless Steel 304?
Stainless Steel 304 is stiffer: Young's modulus 193 GPa against 131 GPa for Silicon, so the same part in Stainless Steel 304 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Silicon or Stainless Steel 304?
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
Silicon
Stainless Steel 304
Stiff rod or tie (tension)
lighter
2.34x heavier
Stiff beam (bending)
lighter
2.84x heavier
Stiff panel or plate
lighter
3.03x heavier
Strong rod or tie
lighter
1.86x heavier
Strong beam
lighter
2.28x heavier
Strong panel or plate
lighter
2.53x 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, Silicon or Stainless Steel 304?
Silicon conducts heat better: 163 W/m·K against 16.2 W/m·K for Stainless Steel 304.
Which expands less with temperature?
Silicon expands less: 2.62 µm/m·K against 16.9 µm/m·K for Stainless Steel 304.