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Electrical Porcelain vs Mg2SiO4

Ceramic · grade comparison

Electrical Porcelain and Mg2SiO4 are both ceramic grades. Mg2SiO4 is the stronger of the two: tensile strength 65 MPa (9.43 ksi) against 30 MPa (4.35 ksi) for Electrical Porcelain, about 117% more. Mg2SiO4 is harder — 750 HV against 620 HV for Electrical Porcelain — which matters for wear surfaces and threads. Electrical Porcelain is lighter (2.35 g/cm³ vs 2.85 g/cm³ for Mg2SiO4) and Mg2SiO4 is stiffer (130 GPa vs 70 GPa). On the shop floor, Electrical Porcelain sits in a lower cost tier (standard, $$) than Mg2SiO4 (high, $$$$).

Electrical PorcelainChoose it when weight is the constraint, or when cost is the deciding factor.

Mg2SiO4Choose it when strength drives the design, or when surface hardness matters.

Electrical Porcelain vs Mg2SiO4: properties

Electrical PorcelainMg2SiO4

Mechanical

Strength, stiffness, ductility and hardness at room temperature.

Elastic (Young's) Modulus

70 GPa10.2 Msi
130 GPa18.9 Msi

Shear Modulus

28 GPa4.1 Msi
52 GPa7.5 Msi

Bulk Modulus

45 GPa6.5 Msi
85 GPa12.3 Msi

Tensile Strength (Ultimate)

30 MPa4.4 ksi
65 MPa9.4 ksi

Elongation at Break

0%
—

Compressive Strength

450 MPa65.3 ksi
800 MPa116 ksi

Flexural Strength

55 MPa8 ksi
150 MPa21.8 ksi

Fracture Toughness (K_IC)

1.2 MPa·√m1.1 ksi·√in
1.8 MPa·√m1.6 ksi·√in

Hardness, Vickers

620 HV
750 HV

Hardness, Knoop

600 HK
800 HK

Hardness, Mohs

6.5
7

Same in both: Poisson's Ratio 0.24

Physical

Density and transition temperatures.

Density

2.35 g/cm³0.08 lb/in³
2.85 g/cm³0.1 lb/in³

Melting Point (Solidus)

1,550°C2,822 °F
1,890°C3,434 °F

Porosity

0.2%
0.3%

Refractive Index

—
1.65

Thermal

How each material carries heat and how hot it can run.

Thermal Conductivity

1.2 W/m·K0.69 BTU/hr·ft·°F
3.5 W/m·K2 BTU/hr·ft·°F

Specific Heat Capacity

850 J/kg·K0.2 BTU/lb·°F
840 J/kg·K0.2 BTU/lb·°F

Thermal Expansion (CTE, 20–100 °C)

5.5 µm/m·K3.1 µin/in·°F
9 µm/m·K5 µin/in·°F

Min Service Temperature

-60°C-76 °F
-200°C-328 °F

Same in both: Max Service Temperature (continuous) 1,000°C1,832 °F

Electrical

Conductivity and insulation.

Electrical Resistivity

1×10¹¹ Ω·m3.94×10¹⁸ µΩ·in
1×10¹² Ω·m3.94×10¹⁹ µΩ·in

Dielectric Strength

20 kV/mm508 V/mil
13 kV/mm330 V/mil

Dielectric Constant (1 MHz)

6.5
6.2

Dissipation Factor (1 MHz)

0.015
3×10⁻⁴

Volume Resistivity

1×10¹³ Ω·cm
1×10¹⁴ Ω·cm

Chemical & Environmental

Corrosion and environmental resistance (0–100 scores).

Corrosion Resistance

88 / 100
75 / 100

Manufacturability

FabDigit workshop ratings (0–100 scores) — how each material behaves on the machine.

Polishability

70 / 100
60 / 100

Sintering / Firing Temperature

1,260°C2,300 °F
1,380°C2,516 °F

Same in both: Machinability 8 / 100

Sustainability

Primary-production footprint per kilogram.

Embodied Energy (primary production)

20 MJ/kg8,598 BTU/lb
32 MJ/kg13,758 BTU/lb

Embodied Carbon (primary production)

1.5 kg CO₂/kg
2.6 kg CO₂/kg

Embodied Water

40 L/kg4.8 gal/lb
55 L/kg6.6 gal/lb

Typical Recycled Content

8%
0%

Common Calculations

Ratios derived from the values above.

Specific Strength (UTS / density)

13 kN·m/kg
23 kN·m/kg

Specific Stiffness (E / density)

29.8 MN·m/kg
45.6 MN·m/kg

Thermal Diffusivity

0.6 mm²/s
1.5 mm²/s

Same in both: Thermal Shock Resistance Index 0

Strength versus weight

Yield strength against density for every ceramic grade in the FabDigit library; the compared grades are highlighted. Up and left is stronger for its weight.

501002005001,000234567Density (g/cm³)Yield strength (MPa) — log scale

Manufacturing and finishing

CapabilityElectrical PorcelainMg2SiO4
Default condition——
Relative cost$$ Standard$$$$ High
Min. machined wall——
Best machined surface——

Electrical Porcelain vs Mg2SiO4 — frequently asked

Is Mg2SiO4 stronger than Electrical Porcelain?

Yes. Mg2SiO4 has a typical tensile strength of 65 MPa (9.43 ksi) against 30 MPa (4.35 ksi) for Electrical Porcelain — about 117% more.

Which is cheaper, Electrical Porcelain or Mg2SiO4?

Electrical Porcelain is the lower-cost material: it sits in the standard tier ($$) while Mg2SiO4 is high ($$$$). Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.

When should I choose Electrical Porcelain over Mg2SiO4?

Pick Electrical Porcelain when weight is the constraint, or when cost is the deciding factor. Pick Mg2SiO4 when strength drives the design, or when surface hardness matters.

Ready to make it?

Upload a CAD file and FabDigit prices the part in Electrical Porcelain and Mg2SiO4 side by side — material, machining time, tolerance and finish in one quote. Certified material data ships with the order on request.

Typical handbook values for the conditions named above, normalised for comparison. Hardness on non-Brinell scales is converted approximately for charting only. Request certified data with your order for design-critical properties.