Ceramic Alumina 96% vs. Ceramic Aluminum Nitride

Compare Ceramic Alumina 96% vs. Ceramic Aluminum Nitride strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

Ceramic Alumina 96%Sintered ceramic (pressed and fired)

Ceramic Aluminum NitrideSintered ceramic (pressed and fired)

Mechanical	Ceramic Alumina 96%	Ceramic Aluminum Nitride
Yield strength	none (brittle)	none (brittle)
Ultimate tensile strength	221MPa1	not sourced
Compressive strength	2,068MPa1	not sourced
Flexural strength	flexural strength358MPa1	310MPa2
Elongation at break	none (brittle)	none (brittle)
Young's modulus (stiffness)	303GPa1	320GPa2
Density	3,720kg/m³1	3,400kg/m³2
Strength to weight	59.4kN·m/kg	not sourced
Stiffness to weight	81.5MN·m/kg	94.1MN·m/kg16% higher
Poisson's ratio	0.211	0.242
Shear modulus	125GPa	129GPa3% stiffer in shear
Bulk modulus	174GPa	205GPa18% higher
Speed of sound	9,025m/s	9,701m/s7% faster

Stiffness against densityHigher and further left: stiffer for its weight

Strength against densityHigher and further left: stronger for its weight

Thermal	Ceramic Alumina 96%	Ceramic Aluminum Nitride
Thermal conductivity	24.7W/m·K1	150W/m·K26.07x more heat through a fin
Thermal expansion	mean8.2µm/m·K1	mean4.6µm/m·K21.78x less
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing	41µm growth	23µm growth1.78x less
Specific heat	880J/kg·K124% higher	710J/kg·K2
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)	7.55mm²/s	62.1mm²/s8.24x faster
Thermal shock resistance	1,736W/m	not sourced

Thermal conductivity against densityHigher and further left: spreads more heat for its weight

Thermal expansion against thermal conductivityLower and further right: warps less when heated

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Sources2 documents: CoorsTek, KYOCERA Fineceramics Europe

Ceramic Alumina 96%: CoorsTek AD-96, nominal 96% Al2O3 sintered alumina, typical values; CoorsTek "Ceramic Seal Material Properties" (© 2018, 01899 F). AD-96 is the general 96% grade, not the ADS-96R substrate grade.
Ceramic Aluminum Nitride: KYOCERA AN216A dense sintered aluminium nitride, typical values; KYOCERA Fineceramics Europe data sheet 2023.04.03

1
Ceramic Seal Material Properties (01899 F)CoorsTekarchived copyCeramic Alumina 96% · Ultimate tensile strength: typical tensile strength, 25 °C (ACMA Test #4)Ceramic Alumina 96% · Compressive strength: typical, 20 °C (ASTM-C773)Ceramic Alumina 96% · Flexural strength: flexural strength (MOR), 20 °C (ASTM-F417)Ceramic Alumina 96% · Young's modulus (stiffness): typical, 20 °C (ASTM-C848)Ceramic Alumina 96% · Density: typical (ASTM-C20)Ceramic Alumina 96% · Poisson's ratio: typical, 20 °C (ASTM-C848)Ceramic Alumina 96% · Thermal conductivity: typical, 20 °C (ASTM-C408)Ceramic Alumina 96% · Thermal expansion: mean, 25-1000 °C (ASTM-C372)Ceramic Alumina 96% · Specific heat: typical, 100 °C (ASTM-E1269)
2
AN216A Aluminium Nitride Data Sheet (2023)KYOCERA Fineceramics Europearchived copyCeramic Aluminum Nitride · Flexural strength: 3-point bending strength (JIS R 1601)Ceramic Aluminum Nitride · Young's modulus (stiffness): typical (JIS R 1602)Ceramic Aluminum Nitride · Density: typical (JIS R 1634)Ceramic Aluminum Nitride · Poisson's ratio: typical (JIS R 1602)Ceramic Aluminum Nitride · Thermal conductivity: typical (JIS R 1611)Ceramic Aluminum Nitride · Thermal expansion: mean, 40-400 °C (JIS R 1618)Ceramic Aluminum Nitride · Specific heat: typical (JIS R 1611)

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

Which is lighter, Ceramic Alumina 96% or Ceramic Aluminum Nitride?

Ceramic Aluminum Nitride is lighter: 3,400 kg/m³ against 3,720 kg/m³ for Ceramic Alumina 96%.

Which is stiffer, Ceramic Alumina 96% or Ceramic Aluminum Nitride?

Ceramic Aluminum Nitride is stiffer: Young's modulus 320 GPa against 303 GPa for Ceramic Alumina 96%, so the same part in Ceramic Aluminum Nitride deflects less under the same load.

Which is lighter for the same job, Ceramic Alumina 96% or Ceramic Aluminum Nitride?

For the same stiffness or strength: Ceramic Aluminum Nitride is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate.

Part that must be	Ceramic Alumina 96%	Ceramic Aluminum Nitride
Stiff rod or tie (tension)	16% heavier	lighter
Stiff beam (bending)	12% heavier	lighter
Stiff panel or plate	11% 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, Ceramic Alumina 96% or Ceramic Aluminum Nitride?

Ceramic Aluminum Nitride conducts heat better: 150 W/m·K against 24.7 W/m·K for Ceramic Alumina 96%.

Which expands less with temperature?

Ceramic Aluminum Nitride expands less: 4.6 µm/m·K against 8.2 µm/m·K for Ceramic Alumina 96%.