Compare CE alloys with other materials

Osprey® CE alloys offer many advantages compared to most competitive materials. For example, CE alloys are lighter and have controlled expansion coefficients at any preselected value in the range 5 to 17 ppm/°C.

Below you find comparisons with other materials used in various thermal management and packaging applications.

Competitive materials Osprey® CE alloys
CE alloy advantages over competitive materials
Aluminium alloys (e.g. 6061) Osprey CE17F is 5% lighter, 30% stiffer and has a lower coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) than 6061 Al alloy, similar to many laminate board materials (e.g. FR4). Osprey CE17F is also less prone to burring.
Aluminium- silicon-carbide (AlSiC) Osprey CE7F and CE9F do not require mould tools, thus prototypes can be delivered quickly and with much lower setting-up costs. Osprey CE7F/CE9F are readily machinable and plateable.
Beryllium-beryllium oxide (Be-BeO) Osprey CE alloys are environmentally friendly and non-toxic.
Copper Osprey CE17F is 1/4 the weight, stronger and easier to machine.
Copper-85% tungsten (CuW) Osprey CE7F uses significantly lower-cost raw materials and is 1/6 the density.
Copper-85% molybdenum (CuMo) Osprey CE7F uses significantly lower cost raw materials and is 1/4 the density.
Kovar* (FeNiCo) Osprey CE7F and CE9F housings are comparable in price but are 1/3 the density and have 6–9 x thermal conductivity, eliminating the need for heat sinks. Osprey CE7F/CE9F do not normally require heat treating and do not burr.
Steel Osprey CE13F/CE11F have similar CTEs but are 1/3 the density.
Titanium Osprey CE9F or CE11F are 1/2 the density and have 6x the thermal conductivity.

*Kovar is a trademark of CRS Holding.

Comparison tables

Find out more about the unique properties of CE alloys

Below is a summary of how the properties of CE alloys can help you improve component performance. You find more details on the mechanical and thermal properties of Osprey® CE alloys on the page for alloys and properties.

Density
Osprey® CE alloys are practically the lowest density, controlled expansion alloys commercially available. They offer substantial weight advantages over most other regularly used materials such as CuW, CuMo, Kovar*, Ti, AlSiC and Al alloys.

Coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE)
Osprey® CE alloys exhibit a range of CTEs depending on Al and Si content. For example, Osprey® CE7 (70% Si) matches the CTE of alumina, LTCC and GaAs; whilst Osprey® CE17 (27% Si) matches the CTE of Cu and several laminate board materials.

Thermal conductivity
Osprey® CE alloys have much higher thermal conductivities than titanium and Kovar*. Therefore, housings can be manufactured without the need to include heat sinks.

Specific stiffness
The high specific stiffness of controlled expansion alloys such as Osprey® CE7 enables products to remain extremely flat during thermal cycling.

*Kovar is a trademark of CRS Holding.


FAQ about CE alloys

Want to know more? View the most frequently asked questions about controlled expansion alloys (CE alloys).

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Our process

Based on our well-established process, we provide finished components according to custom design.

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