Ferro-Ceramic Grinding Inc. machines over 15 different materials
Aluminum Nitride
One of the many materials that Ferro-Ceramic is familiar with is aluminum nitride (AIN). Below, you can find the AlN physical, mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties reference chart.
Aluminum Nitride Properties
While AlN is not a “new” material, recent manufacturability developments over the past 15 years have rapidly changed aluminum nitride machining and made it an exciting and viable ceramic design material. Today, AlN is one of the few materials that offers strong electrical insulation and high thermal conductivity, making it exceptionally useful in high-power electronic applications.
One of the most useful applications AlN has found is in replacing beryllium oxide (BeO) in the semiconductor industry. The primary reason for the substitution is due to BeO’s toxicity; AlN is a much safer product for humans and does not produce any known critical hazards.
The thermal expansion coefficient of AlN is lower than BeO or alumina, and closely matches that of the silicon wafers used in electronics. Once a limitation for AlN’s use in electronic applications there are now processes to metallize AlN.
There are electronic and structural grades of this material, classified as such by the aluminum nitride thermal conductivity, which is controlled by the purity of the AlN. The higher purity of the material, the more pronounced the aluminum nitride properties are. An easy way to spot the purity of AlN is by its color—pristine material is white, high purity is tan, and grey color indicates contaminants.
If you’d like to learn more about aluminum nitride machining, contact our helpful staff at Ferro-Ceramic with any questions about AlN or our grinding and machining services.
| Properties | Units | Test | Value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physical | ||||
| Chemical Formula | - | - | AIN | |
| Density, r | g/cm3 | ASTM C20 | 3.25 | |
| Color | - | - | white/tag/gray | |
| Crystal Structure | - | - | hexagonal | |
| Water Absorption | % @R.T. | ASTM C373 | 0 | |
| Hardness | Moh's | - | 5 | |
| Hardness | knoop (kg/mm2) | Knoop 100g | 1170 | |
| Mechanical | ||||
| Compressive Strength | MPa @ R.T. | ASTM C773 | 2068 | |
| Tensile Strength | MPa @ R.T. | ACMA Test #4 | -- | |
| Modulus of Elasticity (Young's Mod.) | GPa | ASTM C848 | 308 | |
| Flexural Strength (MOR) | MPa @ R.T. | ASTM F417 | 428 | |
| Poisson's Ratio, u | - | ASTM C818 | 0.25 | |
| Fracture Toughness, KIc | MPa x m1/2 | Notched Beam Test | 3.5 | |
| Thermal | ||||
| Max. Use Temperature (* denotes inert atm.) | ºC | No load cond. | 1600 | |
| Thermal Shock Resistance | DT (ºC) | Quenching | 400 | |
| Thermal Conductivity | W/m-K @ R.T. | ASTM C408 | 170 | |
| Coefficient of Linear Thermal Expansion, al | mm/m-ºC (~25ºC through ±1000ºC) | ASTM C372 | 4.6-5.7 | |
| Specific Heat, cp | cal/g-ºC @ R.T. | ASTM C351 | 0.25 | |
| Electrical | ||||
| Dielectric Constant | 1MHz @ R.T. | ASTM D150 | 8.0-9.1 | |
| Dielectric Strength | kV/mm | ASTM D116 | 15 | |
| Electrical Resistivity | Wcm @ R.T. | ASTM D1829 | >1014 | |