Aluminum Nitride vs. Cordierite

Aluminum nitride belongs to the non-oxide engineering ceramics classification, while cordierite belongs to the oxide-based engineering ceramics. There are 16 material properties with values for both materials. Properties with values for just one material (8, in this case) are not shown.

For each property being compared, the top bar is aluminum nitride and the bottom bar is cordierite.

Aluminum Nitride (AlN)Cordierite

Metric UnitsUS Customary Units

Mechanical Properties

Compressive (Crushing) Strength, MPa		2100
Compressive (Crushing) Strength, MPa		420

Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus, GPa		330
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus, GPa		62

Flexural Strength, MPa		190 to 400
Flexural Strength, MPa		17 to 32

Fracture Toughness, MPa-m^1/2		2.9
Fracture Toughness, MPa-m^1/2		2.0

Thermal Properties

Maximum Temperature: Mechanical, °C		1380
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical, °C		1150

Maximum Thermal Shock, °C		220
Maximum Thermal Shock, °C		290 to 390

Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K		780
Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K		800 to 850

Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K		80 to 190
Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K		1.3 to 1.7

Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K		4.2 to 5.4
Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K		2.9 to 4.8

Electrical Properties

Dielectric Constant (Relative Permittivity) At 1 MHz		6.9 to 28
Dielectric Constant (Relative Permittivity) At 1 MHz		4.7

Dielectric Strength (Breakdown Potential), kV/mm		15 to 56
Dielectric Strength (Breakdown Potential), kV/mm		7.7

Electrical Resistivity Order of Magnitude, 10^x Ω-m		10 to 12
Electrical Resistivity Order of Magnitude, 10^x Ω-m		9.5

Otherwise Unclassified Properties

Density, g/cm³		2.9 to 3.3
Density, g/cm³		2.0 to 2.2

Common Calculations

Stiffness to Weight: Axial, points		55 to 63
Stiffness to Weight: Axial, points		15 to 17

Stiffness to Weight: Bending, points		69 to 80
Stiffness to Weight: Bending, points		59 to 67

Thermal Diffusivity, mm²/s		31 to 74
Thermal Diffusivity, mm²/s		0.74 to 1.0