Al2O3-96
ASTM C799
Al2O3-96 (A96, C799) is the industry-standard 96% alumina composition with a glassy grain-boundary phase, used for thick-film hybrid circuit substrates and electronic packages.
Reference datasheet — Al2O3-96 is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
Values for the TC-AF condition
Al2O3-96 tempers and conditions
Al2O3-96 is supplied in 3 conditions, soft to hard. TC-AF is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 3 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dry-pressed and sintered structural/insulator parts | Pick for bushings, seal rings, feedthroughs and wear parts where net-shape pressing beats tape casting. | 160 | 0 | 1,150 HV | 23 W/m·K | |
Black 96% alumina | Choose for optoelectronic and laser packages needing light absorption / low reflectivity while keeping 96-alumina metallization compatibility. | 165 | 0 | 1,120 HV | 20 W/m·K | |
TC-AFDefault Tape-cast, as-fired substrate | Default choice for thick-film hybrid circuits, LED and power-module substrates; as-fired surface Ra ≈ 0.4–0.6 µm suits screen printing. | 170 | 0 | 1,150 HV | 24 W/m·K |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways Al2O3-96 is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
LAP | Lapped / polished substrate | Surface finish |
What is Al2O3-96?
Al2O3-96 (A96, C799) is the industry-standard 96% alumina composition with a glassy grain-boundary phase, used for thick-film hybrid circuit substrates and electronic packages. It balances cost, thermal conductivity and dielectric strength, and is supplied as as-fired tape-cast substrates, polished and lapped sheets, and pressed or moulded shapes. Thermal conductivity is 24 W/m·K, density 3.72 g/cm³ and maximum service temperature 1500 °C. Where higher purity, lower dielectric loss or better thermal transfer is needed, 99.5% alumina or aluminium nitride are the usual steps up. Al2O3-96 has a density of 3.72 g/cm³ (0.134 lb/in³), lighter than 62% of ceramic grades. It melts at 1,750°C (3,182 °F). Al2O3-96 has a tensile strength of 170 MPa (24.7 ksi), stronger than 56% of ceramic grades. Elongation at break is 0% and the elastic modulus is 300 GPa (43.5 Msi).
What is Al2O3-96 used for?
- thick-film circuit substrates
- electronic packages
- insulating washers
- spark plug insulators
- wear pads
Advantages
- Low embodied carbon — 3.2 kg CO₂/kg, better than 84% of ceramic grades
- Good corrosion resistance — 90/100, better than 81% of ceramic grades
- High service temperature — 1,500°C (2,732 °F), better than 80% of ceramic grades
Al2O3-96 properties
Typical room-temperature values for Al2O3-96-TC-AF; bars are the position among ceramic grades.
Physical3
Al2O3-96 has a density of 3.72 g/cm³ (0.134 lb/in³), lighter than 62% of ceramic grades. It melts at 1,750°C (3,182 °F).
Mechanical13
Al2O3-96 has a tensile strength of 170 MPa (24.7 ksi), stronger than 56% of ceramic grades. Elongation at break is 0% and the elastic modulus is 300 GPa (43.5 Msi).
Thermal5
Al2O3-96 is rated for continuous service to 1,500°C (2,732 °F). It conducts heat at 24 W/m·K (13.9 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 53% of ceramic grades. Thermal expansion is 6.5 µm/m·K (3.61 µin/in·°F).
Electrical5
Al2O3-96 is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 15 kV/mm (381 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹² Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental2
Corrosion resistance is excellent (90/100), better than 81% of ceramic grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Al2O3-96 takes about 52 MJ of energy and emits 3.2 kg of CO₂ — less than 81% of ceramic grades. Typical recycled content is 2%.
Manufacturability3
Al2O3-96's machinability is not recommended (5/100, worse than 59% of ceramic grades).
Common Calculations4
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the ceramic family
Yield strength against density for every ceramic grade FabDigit runs. Al2O3-96 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with Al2O3-96
Is Al2O3-96 easy to machine?
Green machining or laser scribing before firing; after sintering only diamond grinding, lapping, ultrasonic or laser drilling.
Can Al2O3-96 be welded?
Not weldable — join by Mo-Mn metallization plus Ni plating and active/brazed Ag-Cu-Ti joints, or by glass frit and ceramic adhesives.
Can Al2O3-96 be formed, bent or molded?
Tape casting for substrates, dry/isostatic pressing, extrusion or injection moulding for shapes; allow ~15–20 % firing shrinkage.
Al2O3-96 chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| Al2O3primary phase, corundum | 95 – 96.5 | 96 |
| SiO2glassy grain-boundary former | 2 – 3.2 | 2.6 |
| CaOsintering aid | 0.3 – 1.2 | 0.7 |
| MgOgrain-growth inhibitor / sintering aid | 0.3 – 1 | 0.6 |
| other oxides (Na2O, Fe2O3, K2O)impurities | 0 – 0.3 | 0.1 |
What surface finishes work on Al2O3-96?
Thick-film Ag/AgPd/Au printing, DBC/AMB copper bonding, laser trimming; lapping to Ra ≤ 0.1 µm where thin-film metallization is required.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Al2O3-96 in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- ASTM
- C799
- Similar grades
- A96
How much does Al2O3-96 cost?
Al2O3-96 is a high-cost ceramic ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Al2O3-96 — frequently asked
What is Al2O3-96 used for?
Al2O3-96 is typically used for thick-film circuit substrates, electronic packages, insulating washers, spark plug insulators and wear pads. In short: industry-standard substrate alumina; best cost/performance alumina; takes thick-film metallization.
What is the tensile strength of Al2O3-96?
Al2O3-96 has a typical tensile strength of 170 MPa (24.7 ksi) — stronger than 56% of ceramic grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 3 listed tempers.
Is Al2O3-96 easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated not recommended (5/100, worse than 59% of ceramic grades). Green machining or laser scribing before firing; after sintering only diamond grinding, lapping, ultrasonic or laser drilling.
Can Al2O3-96 be welded?
Not weldable — join by Mo-Mn metallization plus Ni plating and active/brazed Ag-Cu-Ti joints, or by glass frit and ceramic adhesives.
What surface finishes work on Al2O3-96?
Thick-film Ag/AgPd/Au printing, DBC/AMB copper bonding, laser trimming; lapping to Ra ≤ 0.1 µm where thin-film metallization is required.
Can Al2O3-96 be formed, bent or molded?
Tape casting for substrates, dry/isostatic pressing, extrusion or injection moulding for shapes; allow ~15–20 % firing shrinkage.
What is the maximum service temperature of Al2O3-96?
Al2O3-96 is rated for continuous use to about 1,500°C (2,732 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does Al2O3-96 cost?
Al2O3-96 is a high-cost ceramic ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- ADS-96R 96% Alumina technical data — CoorsTek (2023)
- Fine Ceramics — Alumina A-473 (96%) properties — Kyocera (2022)
- ASM Engineered Materials Handbook Vol. 4: Ceramics and Glasses — ASM International (1991)
- ASTM F417 — Flexural Strength of Electronic-Grade Ceramics — ASTM (2013)
- GB/T 5593 / C799 material class — SAC (2020)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.