Boron Carbide vs. CA

Boron carbide and CA belong to fundamentally different material chemistries. Boron carbide is a ceramic material, while CA is polymeric. Therefore, their performance will be even more dissimilar than would be suggested by the difference in properties. There are 11 material properties with values for both materials. Properties with values for just one material (23, in this case) are not shown.

For each property being compared, the top bar is boron carbide and the bottom bar is CA.

Boron Carbide (B₄C)Cellulose Acetate (CA)

Metric UnitsUS Customary Units

Mechanical Properties

Flexural Strength, MPa		170 to 410
Flexural Strength, MPa		40 to 55

Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa		350
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa		30 to 37

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K		950
Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K		1500

Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K		31 to 90
Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K		0.25

Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K		4.5 to 5.6
Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K		14

Electrical Properties

Dielectric Constant (Relative Permittivity) At 1 MHz		6.4
Dielectric Constant (Relative Permittivity) At 1 MHz		3.6

Electrical Resistivity Order of Magnitude, 10^x Ω-m		0 to 11
Electrical Resistivity Order of Magnitude, 10^x Ω-m		16

Otherwise Unclassified Properties

Density, g/cm³		2.1 to 2.7
Density, g/cm³		1.3

Common Calculations

Strength to Weight: Axial, points		37 to 47
Strength to Weight: Axial, points		6.4 to 7.9

Strength to Weight: Bending, points		42 to 53
Strength to Weight: Bending, points		17 to 19

Thermal Diffusivity, mm²/s		16 to 38
Thermal Diffusivity, mm²/s		0.13