Thermal conductivity against densityHigher and further left: spreads more heat for its weightThermal expansion against thermal conductivityLower and further right: warps less when heated
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Sources2 documents: Kaiser Aluminum, Korth Kristalle
Aluminum 3003-O
3003-O (annealed) aluminium-manganese alloy, the heat-exchanger tube and brazing alloy, Kaiser Aluminum Tube & Pipe Alloy 3003 Technical Data (Rev. 05/06), typical properties; specific heat from the NIST cryogenic 3003-F fit at 293 K.
Silicon
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.
1
Alloy 3003 Tube & Pipe Technical Data, Rev. 05/06Kaiser Aluminumarchived copyAluminum 3003-O · Yield strength: typical, O, 0.0625 in specimenAluminum 3003-O · Ultimate tensile strength: typical, OAluminum 3003-O · Elongation at break: typical, O, in 4DAluminum 3003-O · Young's modulus (stiffness): typicalAluminum 3003-O · Density: nominal, 20 °CAluminum 3003-O · Thermal conductivity: typical, O, 20 °CAluminum 3003-O · Thermal expansion: typical, mean 20-100 °CAluminum 3003-O · Melting point: melting range
2
Si: SiliconKorth Kristallearchived copySilicon · Ultimate tensile strength: modulus of rupture (bending fracture stress); brittle, no yield pointSilicon · Flexural strength: modulus of ruptureSilicon · Young's modulus (stiffness): typical (single quoted value of an anisotropic crystal)Silicon · Density: typicalSilicon · Poisson's ratio: typicalSilicon · Thermal conductivity: typical at 313 K (40 °C)Silicon · Thermal expansion: typical at 300 KSilicon · Specific heat: typicalSilicon · Melting point: typicalSilicon · Max service temperature: producer's maximum application temperature (optical components)
Each number points to the document that states it, with the exact basis. Values without a number are computed from the sourced ones. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.
Questions
Mechanical
Is Aluminum 3003-O stronger than Silicon?
Silicon is stronger: its tensile strength is 130 MPa against yield strength 40 MPa for Aluminum 3003-O (3.25x).
Which is lighter, Aluminum 3003-O or Silicon?
Silicon is lighter: 2,329 kg/m³ against 2,730 kg/m³ for Aluminum 3003-O.
Which is stiffer, Aluminum 3003-O or Silicon?
Silicon is stiffer: Young's modulus 131 GPa against 69 GPa for Aluminum 3003-O, so the same part in Silicon deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Aluminum 3003-O 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
Aluminum 3003-O
Silicon
Stiff rod or tie (tension)
2.23x heavier
lighter
Stiff beam (bending)
1.62x heavier
lighter
Stiff panel or plate
45% heavier
lighter
Strong rod or tie
3.81x heavier
lighter
Strong beam
2.57x heavier
lighter
Strong panel or plate
2.11x 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).
Thermal
Which conducts heat better, Aluminum 3003-O or Silicon?
Aluminum 3003-O conducts heat better: 193 W/m·K against 163 W/m·K for Silicon.
Which expands less with temperature?
Silicon expands less: 2.62 µm/m·K against 23.2 µm/m·K for Aluminum 3003-O.