The 10 Ceramic Materials With The Best Thermal Conductivity

With the rapid development of modern industry, thermal management has become a key factor affecting product performance and reliability. From high-performance computing devices to aerospace components, the selection of efficient thermal conductivity materials has become a necessary consideration for these high-end applications.

Ceramic materials have outstanding performance in the field of thermal conductivity due to their unique combination of properties. Their thermal conductivity is better than that of traditional plastic materials, and they can also provide excellent electrical insulation performance, which is very suitable for the electronics field. For example, the thermal conductivity of common aluminum nitride (AlN) ceramic materials is as high as 180 W/mK, far exceeding ordinary engineering plastics (0.2-0.4 W/mK). This superior combination of thermal conductivity and electrical insulation performance makes ceramic materials have an irreplaceable and important position in applications such as electronic packaging and heat dissipation substrates.

Are you curious about what are the 10 ceramic materials with the best thermal conductivity? Follow us and read on and you will get the answer.

Quick Links

1. What is Thermal Conductivity?
2. Thermal Conductivity Table of Common Ceramic Materials
3. The Ten Ceramic Materials With The Highest Thermal Conductivity
4. How To Choose The Ceramic Material With The Best Thermal Conductivity?
5. Application of Ceramic Thermal Conductive Materials

What is Thermal Conductivity?

Thermal conductivity is an important indicator to measure the thermal conductivity of materials. Its unit is Watt per meter Kelvin (W/mK). This performance indicator reflects the strength of the material’s thermal conductivity. You need to note that the thermal conductivity of ceramic materials is not constant. It is affected by various factors, whether it is the manufacturing process, material purity, grain size and operating temperature, which will affect the final thermal conductivity of ceramic materials.

Thermal Conductivity Table of Common Ceramic Materials

In actual applications, the thermal conductivity of materials may vary slightly due to purity, crystal structure, processing technology and external environmental factors.

The Ten Ceramic Materials With The Highest Thermal Conductivity

Beryllium Oxide (BeO)

Beryllium oxide is one of the ceramic materials with the best thermal conductivity at present. Its thermal conductivity ranges from 184-300 W/mK, which is very close to the thermal conductivity of some metal materials. Its superior thermal conductivity is due to its unique crystal structure and strong covalent bond characteristics.。

Beryllium oxide not only has excellent thermal conductivity, but also has electrical insulation properties and a low dielectric constant. Its compressive strength can reach 245MPa and has good thermal shock resistance. It is an essential thermal management component for satellite communication systems in the aerospace field; it is also an excellent heat dissipation substrate in high-power RF devices.

However, beryllium oxide also faces severe challenges. The raw materials of beryllium oxide are toxic and need to be produced under strict safety conditions. Moreover, its production process is very complex. Some factors have led to its high production cost.

Aluminum Nitride (AlN)

Aluminum nitride is a thermally conductive ceramic material with excellent performance. Its thermal conductivity range is between 140-180 W/mK. In recent years, aluminum nitride, a ceramic material, has attracted much attention due to its comprehensive superior performance.

Aluminum nitride has a perfect combination of excellent thermal conductivity and electrical insulation performance, and it has a thermal expansion coefficient similar to that of silicon-based semiconductors (4.5×10^-6/K), which shows a unique advantage in the field of electronic packaging. Its high thermal conductivity can be used for heat dissipation of LED chips, heat dissipation substrates for power modules, radio frequency devices and large-scale integrated circuits, and can significantly improve the service life of these devices.

Silicon Carbide (SiC)

The thermal conductivity of silicon carbide ranges from 120-180 W/mK. It is a high-performance ceramic material with extremely wide applications and is irreplaceable in many high-end fields.

In addition to its excellent thermal conductivity, silicon carbide also has excellent mechanical strength, with a bending strength of >400MPa, and it has extremely high hardness and good wear resistance.

In some industrial applications, silicon carbide is widely used in fields such as high-temperature heat exchangers, mechanical seals, bearings and cutting tools due to its unique combination of properties. In electronic applications, it is also a very important packaging material. In other emerging fields such as new energy vehicles, its performance is also very good.

Copper Aluminum Oxide (CuAlO2)

Copper aluminum oxide is a new type of composite oxide ceramic material. Its thermal conductivity is in the range of 100-200 W/mK. It has both good thermal and electrical conductivity and can provide new solutions for some specific scenarios. plan.

In the electronics industry, it has attracted attention due to its dual electrical and thermal conductivity. It can be seen in the manufacture of some thermoelectric devices and high-performance electronic components.。

Boron Nitride (BN)

Boron nitride is known for its unique layered structure and variable thermal conductivity, ranging from 20-300 W/mK, depending on its structure. Among them, hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) has extremely high thermal conductivity in the plane direction, up to 200-250 W/mK, while cubic boron nitride (c-BN) usually has a thermal conductivity of 30-70 W/mK.。

Boron nitride exhibits excellent high temperature stability, chemical inertness and self-lubricity, and its excellent electrical insulation performance and low dielectric constant make it very good in the field of electronics. What deserves your special attention is that boron nitride can still maintain stable thermal conductivity in high temperature environments, which is difficult for many other materials to achieve.

Boron nitride has a wide range of thermal conductivity applications. In the aerospace industry, boron nitride can be widely used in high-temperature insulation components and thermal management systems. In the electronics industry, it is also an excellent heat dissipation substrate and thermal conductive interface material.

Titanium DiBoride (TiB2)

The thermal conductivity of titanium diboride is in the range of 60-70 W/mK. Although it is not the highest among many ceramic materials, its unique combination of properties makes it have important application value in specific fields.

In industrial applications, titanium diboride is mainly used in high-temperature molten metal processing equipment, cutting tools and wear-resistant parts.

Magnesium Oxide (MgO)

The thermal conductivity of magnesium oxide is in the range of 40-60 W/mK. It is a cost-effective thermal conductive ceramic material that can combine electrical insulation and thermal conductivity. In the field of electronics, magnesium oxide is a very good insulating and heat dissipating material. In addition, it is also often used in refractory materials and thermal management components.

Silicon Nitride (Si3N4)

The thermal conductivity of silicon nitride is in the range of 20-70 W/mK, but it has very excellent mechanical properties and thermal shock stability, and is irreplaceable in certain specific applications. Its extremely high strength and toughness allow it to perform well in high-temperature environments. In high-temperature electronic applications, it is often used as a packaging material and heat dissipation component. In addition, it is also an excellent material for engine and transmission system components in the automotive industry.

Alumina (Al2O3)

The thermal conductivity of alumina is relatively low compared to the previous ceramic materials, ranging from 20-50 W/mK, but due to its excellent cost-effectiveness and stable performance, it also occupies a very important position in some industries.

In the field of electronic packaging, alumina ceramics have become the preferred packaging material for medium and low power electronic devices due to their good insulation properties, moderate thermal conductivity and moderate price. Alumina has good bonding with metals and is very suitable for making metallized ceramic substrates.

Zirconium Carbide (ZrC)

Zirconium carbide is an ultra-high temperature ceramic material with a thermal conductivity of 20-40 W/mK. The most notable feature of this material is its extremely high melting point, which is over 3500°C, and its excellent oxidation resistance. In some ultra-high temperature environments, zirconium carbide exhibits excellent thermal stability and mechanical strength.。

In the aerospace industry, zirconium carbide is used to manufacture thermal protection system components and propulsion system components, especially for its oxidation resistance and thermal stability.

In the aerospace sector, zirconium carbide is used to manufacture thermal protection system components and propulsion system components.

How To Choose The Ceramic Material With The Best Thermal Conductivity?

When choosing the best thermal conductive ceramic material, you should conduct a comprehensive data comparison analysis.

According to authoritative research, beryllium oxide (BeO) and aluminum nitride (AlN) will be in the leading position in terms of thermal conductivity. The highest thermal conductivity of beryllium oxide can reach 300 W/mK, while aluminum nitride is close behind, with extremely high purity reaching 200W/mK. These two materials occupy a very important position in some high-end electronic packaging applications.

If you need a ceramic material with high cost performance, you need to analyze it separately. Although the thermal conductivity of aluminum oxide is relatively low, its cost is several times less than that of aluminum nitride, which makes it more advantageous in some low-end and mid-range applications. Silicon nitride and silicon carbide have achieved a better balance between performance and cost, and are more suitable for some occasions with higher mechanical properties.

According to temperature dependence analysis, the thermal conductivity of most ceramic materials decreases with increasing temperature. For example, the thermal conductivity of aluminum nitride decreases by about 10-15% between room temperature and 100°C. In contrast, the performance degradation of silicon carbide in high temperature environments is relatively small. In some high-temperature applications, you will have more advantages in using silicon carbide.

Application of Ceramic Thermal Conductive Materials

Electronics and semiconductor industries

High thermal conductivity ceramics, such as aluminum nitride and silicon carbide, are widely used in electronic packaging and heat dissipation substrates. They can quickly transfer heat away from electronic components to prevent them from overheating, resulting in performance degradation and damage.
Among them, aluminum nitride substrates have become ideal substrate materials for semiconductor lasers and LED heat dissipation modules because of their extremely high thermal conductivity and low thermal expansion coefficient.

Aerospace

The aerospace field has extremely high requirements for the reliability of materials. In some aircraft engines and spacecraft, silicon carbide ceramics can be made into nozzles and heat exchangers due to their thermal conductivity and high-temperature stability. These materials can quickly conduct and dissipate heat in extreme temperatures, improving the stability of equipment operation.

High temperature heat exchangers and energy-saving equipment

Ceramic heat exchangers are very important components in the chemical and metallurgical industries. The use of high thermal conductivity ceramic materials such as silicon carbide can now improve heat exchange efficiency and reduce energy loss.

Photovoltaic and new energy fields

In photovoltaic cell modules, ceramic substrates can be used in various thermal management layers to help improve the photoelectric conversion efficiency. In the field of new energy, the application of thermal conductive ceramics can also help improve battery thermal management and extend service life.

Home appliances and daily electronic products

Thermal conductive ceramic films can be used in a variety of common daily necessities, such as high-power LED lights and mobile phone cooling components, which can quickly reduce the temperature of the device.

Medical equipment

In ultrasonic probes and some high-precision medical equipment, the high thermal conductivity of ceramic materials combined with electrical insulation can ensure the stability and safety of equipment performance.

Conclusion

Choosing the best ceramic thermal conductive material requires a comprehensive consideration of various factors. Thank you for reading this article and I hope it can help you.

Learn more about ceramic materials.