515.0 Aluminum vs. ZK51A Magnesium

515.0 aluminum belongs to the aluminum alloys classification, while ZK51A magnesium belongs to the magnesium alloys. There are 23 material properties with values for both materials. Properties with values for just one material (8, in this case) are not shown.

For each property being compared, the top bar is 515.0 aluminum and the bottom bar is ZK51A magnesium.

515.0 (515.0-F) Cast Aluminum ZK51A (ZK51A-T5, M16510) Magnesium

Metric UnitsUS Customary Units

Mechanical Properties

Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus, GPa		70
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus, GPa		45

Elongation at Break, %		10
Elongation at Break, %		4.7

Fatigue Strength, MPa		130
Fatigue Strength, MPa		62

Poisson's Ratio		0.33
Poisson's Ratio		0.29

Shear Modulus, GPa		26
Shear Modulus, GPa		18

Shear Strength, MPa		190
Shear Strength, MPa		160

Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa		280
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa		240

Thermal Properties

Latent Heat of Fusion, J/g		470
Latent Heat of Fusion, J/g		340

Maximum Temperature: Mechanical, °C		170
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical, °C		120

Melting Completion (Liquidus), °C		620
Melting Completion (Liquidus), °C		640

Melting Onset (Solidus), °C		620
Melting Onset (Solidus), °C		550

Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K		900
Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K		970

Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K		23
Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K		26

Otherwise Unclassified Properties

Base Metal Price, % relative		9.5
Base Metal Price, % relative		13

Density, g/cm³		2.6
Density, g/cm³		1.8

Embodied Carbon, kg CO₂/kg material		8.4
Embodied Carbon, kg CO₂/kg material		24

Embodied Energy, MJ/kg		150
Embodied Energy, MJ/kg		160

Embodied Water, L/kg		1120
Embodied Water, L/kg		940

Common Calculations

Stiffness to Weight: Axial, points		15
Stiffness to Weight: Axial, points		14

Stiffness to Weight: Bending, points		52
Stiffness to Weight: Bending, points		64

Strength to Weight: Axial, points		30
Strength to Weight: Axial, points		36

Strength to Weight: Bending, points		36
Strength to Weight: Bending, points		47

Thermal Shock Resistance, points		13
Thermal Shock Resistance, points		15

Alloy Composition

Aluminum (Al), %		93.6 to 96.6
Aluminum (Al), %		0

Copper (Cu), %		0 to 0.2
Copper (Cu), %		0 to 0.1

Iron (Fe), %		0 to 1.3
Iron (Fe), %		0

Magnesium (Mg), %		2.5 to 4.0
Magnesium (Mg), %		93.1 to 95.9

Manganese (Mn), %		0.4 to 0.6
Manganese (Mn), %		0

Nickel (Ni), %		0
Nickel (Ni), %		0 to 0.010

Silicon (Si), %		0.5 to 10
Silicon (Si), %		0

Zinc (Zn), %		0 to 0.1
Zinc (Zn), %		3.6 to 5.5

Zirconium (Zr), %		0
Zirconium (Zr), %		0.5 to 1.0

Residuals, %		0
Residuals, %		0 to 0.3