Shapal Hi-M Soft Aluminum Nitride Ceramic
Shapal Hi-M Soft™ is a hybrid type of machinable Aluminum Nitride ceramic that offers high mechanical strength and thermal conductivity. By combining Aluminum Nitride with Boron Nitride, Tokuyama has created a ceramic that is easily machined into complex shapes while still keeping many of the advantages of traditional Aluminum Nitride. It features excellent machinability, high thermal conductivity and excellent mechanical strength which makes it suitable for a broad range applications.
China Ceramic Parts is a Tokuyama authorized distributor of Shapal Hi-M soft and has more experience with this material than any other company in the world.
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Shapal Hi-M Soft Properties
Mechanical Properties
Density
Youngs Modulus
Poissons Ratio
Compressive Strength
Bending Strength @ -100C
Bending Strength @ 25°C
Bending Strength @ 500°C
Bending Strength @ 1000°C
Vickers Hardness (Hv) 25°C
Unit
Value
Thermal Properties
Maximum Oxidizing Temperature
Maximum Inert Temperature
Thermal Conductivity @ -100°C
Thermal Conductivity @ 25°C
Thermal Conductivity @ 500°C
Thermal Conductivity @ 1000°C
Thermal Shock Resistance ΔT
* CTE 25°C ➞ 400°C
* CTE 25°C ➞ 600°C
* CTE 25°C ➞ 800°C
Unit
Value
* Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) describes how the size of an object changes with a change in temperature.
Electrical Properties
Resistivity @ 20°C
Dielectric Constant (ε) @ 25°C
Dissipation Loss (tan δ) @ 25°C
Dielectric Strength @ 25°C
DC Volume Resistivity @ 25°C
DC Volume Resistivity @ 500°C
DC Volume Resistivity @ 1000°C
Unit
Value
Related Materials
Macor
Macor is a hybrid glass-ceramic with the versatility of a high performance polymer, the machinability of a metal, and the performance of an advanced technical ceramic.
Aluminum Nitride
Aluminum Nitride (AlN) is an excellent material to use if high thermal conductivity and electrical insulation properties are required -- an ideal material for use in thermal management and electrical applications.
Shapal Manufacturing
Shapal Hi-M Soft is a hot-pressed material available in a variety of billet sizes; the largest being approximately 12″ x 12″ x 3.25″ (305mm x 305mm x 84mm). Once in slab form it is cut into smaller blocks and machined into into bars, tubes, disks or other custom designs with very tight tolerances.
China Ceramic Parts is a Tokuyama authorized distributor of Shapal Hi-M soft and has more experience with this material than any other company in the world. We can supply Shapal in blocks, bars, rods, plates, etc. or custom machined parts from our facility that has been optimized for high tolerance ceramic production.
China Ceramic Parts is your Shapal machining specialist for your technical ceramic prototyping & manufacturing needs. We are always happy to provide help and advice on materials, design, and application. If you are looking for a supplier of Shapal Hi-M Soft Machinable Aluminum Nitride components, or would just like to buy Shapal plates, rods, bars, or tubes, please contact us and one of our experts will be happy to assist you.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What's the difference between Macor vs Shapal?
Shapal Hi-M Soft and Macor glass ceramic are often compared because they both are machinable ceramics, however, both of these materials have significantly different mechanical and thermal properties. The following are som factors to consider when choosing between Macor and Shapal.
Thermal Conductivity
Shapal Hi-M is a thermal conductor at 90 W/(m K), Macor is a thermal insulator with a thermal conductivity of 1.46 W/(m K)
Thermal Cycle
Shapal is not prone to suffering from thermal shock failures while Macor is vulnerable to thermal shock – if the parts have rapid heat up and cool down cycles then Shapal is a better option.
Maximum Temperature
Shapal has a much higher maximum use temperature of 1900C (in an inert atmosphere) and 1000C (in air).
Strength
Shapal offers better bending strength (300 vs 94 MPa) as well as better compressive strength ( 1200 vs 345 MPa) when compared with Macor.
Cost
Macor is a cheaper material that Shapal Hi-M Soft, if it can be used instead of Shapal the user will typically see significant cost reductions.
- What's the difference between Shapal vs Aluminum Nitride?
Pure Aluminum Nitride is often the material of choice for high thermal conductivity applications, however, because it is such a hard material it is often costly to produce in small quantities or non-standard sizes. Shapal Hi-M soft is a machinable Aluminum Nitride/Boron Nitride composite material that can be machined into incredibly tight tolerances and complicated shapes while still providing excellent thermal conductivity.
- What's the difference between Macor vs Alumina?
Alumina is a very commonly used technical ceramic due to its versatile properties, however, because it is such a hard material extensive diamond grinding is often required making it costly to produce in small quantities. Macor Machinable Glass Ceramic is often a viable alternative that can allows for significantly reduced production costs. The following are some factors to consider when choosing between Macor and Alumina.
Thermal Cycle
Macor is vulnerable to thermal shock – if you have rapid heat up and cool down cycles Macor may not be appropriate. Shapal may be a viable alternative.
Maximum Temperature
Macor has a maximum use temperature of 1000C (unstressed) and 800C (stressed); Alumina does offer higher temperature capabilities.
Wear Resistance
The same feature that makes Macor machinable means that it has relatively poor wear resistance when compared with Alumina.
Cost
For smaller quantities Macor often offers significant price reductions than Alumina components.
- What are the advantages of Shapal?
Shapal Hi-M Soft™ is a hybrid type of machinable Aluminum Nitride ceramic that offers high mechanical strength and thermal conductivity. By combining Aluminum Nitride with Boron Nitride, Tokuyama has created a ceramic that is easily machined into complex shapes while still keeping many of the advantages of traditional Aluminum Nitride. It features excellent machinability, high thermal conductivity and excellent mechanical strength which makes it suitable for a broad range applications. Some other benefits of Shapal include:
- Can be machined by a broad range of methods such as drilling, turning, milling to form complex shapes with high precision
- Excellent sealing ability to vacuum
- Approximately five times as much thermal conductivity as that of alumina (Aluminium Oxide)
- High mechanical strength & bending strength of 30kg/mm² is comparable to that of Alumina
- Excellent electric insulation
- Low thermal expansion
- Low dielectric loss
- What can Shapal be used for?
Shapal Hi-M Soft™ is a hybrid type of machinable Aluminum Nitride ceramic that offers high mechanical strength and thermal conductivity. It features excellent machinability, high thermal conductivity and excellent mechanical strength which makes it suitable for a broad range applications, such as the following:
- Electronic components where electrical insulation and heat dissipation are required
- Components where low dielectric constant and dissipation factor are required
- Fixture parts where a low coefficient of thermal expansion is required
- Vacuum components
- Components where a low coefficient of thermal expansion required
- Heat sinks
- Crucibles for vacuum deposition
- Special refractory parts such as protective tubes