Boron Carbide vs. Soda-lime Glass

Boron carbide belongs to the non-oxide engineering ceramics classification, while soda-lime glass belongs to the glass and glass-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 boron carbide and the bottom bar is soda-lime glass.

Boron Carbide (B₄C)Soda-Lime (Float) Glass

Metric UnitsUS Customary Units

Mechanical Properties

Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus, GPa		240 to 460
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus, GPa		70 to 71

Knoop Hardness		2600 to 3200
Knoop Hardness		570

Poisson's Ratio		0.17 to 0.19
Poisson's Ratio		0.23

Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa		350
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa		41 to 180

Thermal Properties

Maximum Temperature: Mechanical, °C		1000 to 2500
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical, °C		300

Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K		950
Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K		720 to 800

Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K		31 to 90
Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K		1.0 to 1.1

Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K		4.5 to 5.6
Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K		8.8 to 9.0

Electrical Properties

Dielectric Constant (Relative Permittivity) At 1 MHz		6.4
Dielectric Constant (Relative Permittivity) At 1 MHz		7.3 to 7.4

Otherwise Unclassified Properties

Density, g/cm³		2.1 to 2.7
Density, g/cm³		2.4

Common Calculations

Stiffness to Weight: Axial, points		63 to 100
Stiffness to Weight: Axial, points		16

Stiffness to Weight: Bending, points		91 to 100
Stiffness to Weight: Bending, points		56

Strength to Weight: Axial, points		37 to 47
Strength to Weight: Axial, points		4.6 to 20

Strength to Weight: Bending, points		42 to 53
Strength to Weight: Bending, points		11 to 28

Thermal Diffusivity, mm²/s		16 to 38
Thermal Diffusivity, mm²/s		0.51 to 0.6

Thermal Shock Resistance, points		9.7 to 20
Thermal Shock Resistance, points		4.7 to 20