Sandstone vs. Silicon Nitride

Sandstone belongs to the natural stone classification, while silicon nitride belongs to the non-oxide engineering ceramics. There are 12 material properties with values for both materials. Properties with values for just one material (10, in this case) are not shown.

For each property being compared, the top bar is sandstone and the bottom bar is silicon nitride.

Sandstone Silicon Nitride (Si₃N₄)

Metric UnitsUS Customary Units

Mechanical Properties

Compressive (Crushing) Strength, MPa		120
Compressive (Crushing) Strength, MPa		600 to 2950

Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus, GPa		38
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus, GPa		140 to 310

Poisson's Ratio		0.25
Poisson's Ratio		0.24 to 0.27

Thermal Properties

Maximum Temperature: Mechanical, °C		400
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical, °C		1000 to 1330

Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K		880
Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K		720 to 800

Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K		5.6
Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K		12 to 31

Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K		10
Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K		2.5 to 3.2

Electrical Properties

Dielectric Strength (Breakdown Potential), kV/mm		8.5
Dielectric Strength (Breakdown Potential), kV/mm		18

Otherwise Unclassified Properties

Density, g/cm³		2.6
Density, g/cm³		2.2 to 3.4

Common Calculations

Stiffness to Weight: Axial, points		8.1
Stiffness to Weight: Axial, points		34 to 53

Stiffness to Weight: Bending, points		43
Stiffness to Weight: Bending, points		65 to 78

Thermal Diffusivity, mm²/s		2.4
Thermal Diffusivity, mm²/s		7.5 to 13