Materials / Compare

Ceramic Alumina 96% vs. Iron

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

Ceramic Alumina 96%Sintered ceramic (pressed and fired)
IronWrought
MechanicalCeramic Alumina 96%Iron
Yield strengthnone (brittle)186MPa1
Ultimate tensile strength221MPa2290MPa131% stronger
Compressive strength2,068MPa2not sourced
Flexural strengthflexural strength358MPa2not sourced
Elongation at breaknone (brittle)38%1
Young's modulus (stiffness)303GPa246% stiffer207GPa1
Density3,720kg/m³22.11x lighter7,860kg/m³1
Strength to weight59.4kN·m/kg2.51x higher23.7kN·m/kg
Stiffness to weight81.5MN·m/kg3.09x higher26.3MN·m/kg
Poisson's ratio0.2120.2823
Shear modulus125GPa1.55x stiffer in shear80.7GPa
Bulk modulus174GPa10% higher158GPa
Speed of sound9,025m/s1.76x faster5,132m/s
1k10k0.1110100Density (kg/m³)Young's modulus (GPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonWoodAluminumSteelTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110Copper C10100Copper C12200GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 303Stainless Steel 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 5052-H32Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VBrass C260Nickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic POM/AcetalPlastic Nylon PA6Plastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM PAHT-CFFDM HIPSSLA Resin StandardSLA Resin Tough 2000SLS PA12 NylonDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelConcretePCB Laminate FR-4SiliconCeramic Aluminum NitrideAluminum A380Aluminum 6063-T6Aluminum 1100-OAluminum 3003-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic PPS GF40Plastic LCP GF30Ceramic Alumina 96%Iron
Stiffness against densityHigher and further left: stiffer for its weight
1k10k101001kDensity (kg/m³)Yield strength (MPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonRubberWoodAluminumSteelTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110Copper C10100Copper C12200GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 303Stainless Steel 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 5052-H32Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VBrass C260Nickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic POM/AcetalPlastic Nylon PA6Plastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic PTFEPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM PAHT-CFFDM HIPSSLA Resin StandardSLA Resin Tough 2000SLA Resin Elastic 50ASLS PA12 NylonDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelBrickPCB Laminate FR-4SiliconAluminum A380Aluminum 6063-T6Aluminum 1100-OAluminum 3003-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic PPS GF40Plastic LCP GF30Ceramic Alumina 96%Iron
Strength against densityHigher and further left: stronger for its weight
ThermalCeramic Alumina 96%Iron
Thermal conductivity24.7W/m·K273.2W/m·K12.96x more heat through a fin
Thermal expansionmean8.2µm/m·K21.67x lessmean13.7µm/m·K1
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing41µm growth1.67x less68.5µm growth
Specific heat880J/kg·K21.96x higher450J/kg·K1
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)7.55mm²/s20.7mm²/s2.74x faster
Thermal shock resistance1,736W/m3,447W/m1.99x more resistant
Melting pointnot sourced1,532°C1
1k10k0.1110100Density (kg/m³)Thermal conductivity (W/m·K)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic NylonRubberWoodAluminumSteelTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110Copper C10100Copper C12200GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 303Stainless Steel 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 5052-H32Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VBrass C260Nickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic POM/AcetalPlastic Nylon PA6Plastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic PTFEPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM HIPSSLA Resin StandardDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelConcreteBrickPCB Laminate FR-4SiliconCeramic Aluminum NitrideAluminum A380Aluminum 6063-T6Aluminum 1100-OAluminum 3003-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic PPS GF40Plastic LCP GF30Ceramic Alumina 96%Iron
Thermal conductivity against densityHigher and further left: spreads more heat for its weight
0.111010010100Thermal conductivity (W/m·K)Thermal expansion (µm/m·K)Plastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic NylonWoodAluminumSteelTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110Copper C10100Copper C12200GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 303Stainless Steel 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 5052-H32Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VBrass C260Nickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic POM/AcetalPlastic Nylon PA6Plastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic PTFEPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM HIPSSLA Resin StandardDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelConcreteBrickPlywoodPCB Laminate FR-4SiliconCeramic Aluminum NitrideAluminum A380Aluminum 6063-T6Aluminum 1100-OAluminum 3003-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic PPS GF40Plastic LCP GF30Ceramic Alumina 96%Iron
Thermal expansion against thermal conductivityLower and further right: warps less when heated
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Sources3 documents: Cleveland-Cliffs, CoorsTek, National Institute of Standards and Technology
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.
Iron
Cleveland-Cliffs / AK Steel ARMCO Pure Iron Product Data Bulletin (07/2022): Table 1 typical physical properties, Table 2 typical mechanical properties after SRA/recrystallization anneal.
  1. 1
    ARMCO Pure Iron Product Data Bulletin (2022)Cleveland-Cliffsarchived copyIron · Yield strength: typical (0.2% YS), hot rolled + SRA/recrystallization annealIron · Ultimate tensile strength: typical, SRA/recrystallization annealIron · Elongation at break: typical, gauge 4D0Iron · Young's modulus (stiffness): typical, after SRA/recrystallization annealIron · Density: typicalIron · Thermal conductivity: typical at 20 °CIron · Thermal expansion: mean, 20-399 °CIron · Specific heat: typicalIron · Melting point: typical
  2. 2
    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)
  3. 3
    Elastic Properties of Metals and Alloys, I. Iron, Nickel, and Iron-Nickel Alloys, J. Phys. Chem. Ref. Data 2 (1973)National Institute of Standards and Technologyarchived copyIron · Poisson's ratio: NIST critically evaluated best value (polycrystalline iron)

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 Ceramic Alumina 96% stronger than Iron?

Ceramic Alumina 96% is stronger: its tensile strength is 221 MPa against yield strength 186 MPa for Iron (19%).

Which is lighter, Ceramic Alumina 96% or Iron?

Ceramic Alumina 96% is lighter: 3,720 kg/m³ against 7,860 kg/m³ for Iron.

Which is stiffer, Ceramic Alumina 96% or Iron?

Ceramic Alumina 96% is stiffer: Young's modulus 303 GPa against 207 GPa for Iron, so the same part in Ceramic Alumina 96% deflects less under the same load.

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

For the same stiffness or strength: Ceramic Alumina 96% 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 beCeramic Alumina 96%Iron
Stiff rod or tie (tension)lighter3.09x heavier
Stiff beam (bending)lighter2.56x heavier
Stiff panel or platelighter2.4x heavier
Strong rod or tielighter2.51x heavier
Strong beamlighter2.37x heavier
Strong panel or platelighter2.3x 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).

Thermal

Which conducts heat better, Ceramic Alumina 96% or Iron?

Iron conducts heat better: 73.2 W/m·K against 24.7 W/m·K for Ceramic Alumina 96%.

Which expands less with temperature?

Ceramic Alumina 96% expands less: 8.2 µm/m·K against 13.7 µm/m·K for Iron.

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