Silicon vs. Zinc Zamak 3

Compare Silicon vs. Zinc Zamak 3 strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

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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	not given (tensile used)	221MPasourcetypical
Ultimate tensile strength	130MPasourcemodulus of rupture (bending fracture stress); brittle, no yield point	283MPasourcetypical
Flexural strength	130MPasourcemodulus of rupture	not sourced
Elongation at break	not sourced	10%sourcetypical, in 2 in.
Young's modulus (stiffness)	131GPasourcetypical (single quoted value of an anisotropic crystal)	85.5GPasourcetypical
Density	2,329kg/m³sourcetypical2.83x lighter	6,600kg/m³sourcetypical
Strength to weight	55.8kN·m/kg1.67x higher	33.5kN·m/kg
Stiffness to weight	56.2MN·m/kg4.34x higher	13MN·m/kg
Poisson's ratio	0.221sourcetypical	0.27sourcetypical, Zamak 3 hot-chamber die cast
Shear modulus	53.6GPa1.59x stiffer in shear	33.7GPa
Bulk modulus	78.3GPa	62GPa
Speed of sound	7,500m/s	3,599m/s
Thermal
Thermal conductivity	163W/m·Ksourcetypical at 313 K (40 °C)	113W/m·Ksourcetypical
Thermal expansion	2.62µm/m·Ksourcetypical at 300 K	27.4µm/m·Ksourcetypical
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing	13.1µm growth10.5x less	137µm growth
Specific heat	732J/kg·Ksourcetypical	419J/kg·Ksourcetypical
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)	95.6mm²/s2.34x faster	40.9mm²/s
Thermal shock resistance	48,095W/m6.18x more resistant	7,782W/m
Melting point	1,412°Csourcetypical	381–387°Csourcemelting range
Max service temperature	300°Csourceproducer's maximum application temperature (optical components)	not sourced
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.	Zamak 3 (ASTM B86 die cast), Nathan Trotter (zinc alloy producer) technical data sheet, typical values

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 Zinc Zamak 3?

Zinc Zamak 3 is stronger: its yield strength is 221 MPa against tensile strength 130 MPa for Silicon (1.7x).

Which is lighter, Silicon or Zinc Zamak 3?

Silicon is lighter: 2,329 kg/m³ against 6,600 kg/m³ for Zinc Zamak 3.

Which is stiffer, Silicon or Zinc Zamak 3?

Silicon is stiffer: Young's modulus 131 GPa against 85.5 GPa for Zinc Zamak 3, so the same part in Silicon deflects less under the same load.

Which is lighter for the same job, Silicon or Zinc Zamak 3?

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	Zinc Zamak 3
Stiff rod or tie (tension)	lighter	4.34x heavier
Stiff beam (bending)	lighter	3.51x heavier
Stiff panel or plate	lighter	3.27x heavier
Strong rod or tie	lighter	1.67x heavier
Strong beam	lighter	1.99x heavier
Strong panel or plate	lighter	2.17x 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 Zinc Zamak 3?

Silicon conducts heat better: 163 W/m·K against 113 W/m·K for Zinc Zamak 3.

Which expands less with temperature?

Silicon expands less: 2.62 µm/m·K against 27.4 µm/m·K for Zinc Zamak 3.

Among 72 materials

Stiffness against density

Strength against density