5251 Aluminum vs. M1A Magnesium
5251 aluminum belongs to the aluminum alloys classification, while M1A magnesium belongs to the magnesium alloys. There are 30 material properties with values for both materials. Properties with values for just one material (1, in this case) are not shown.
For each property being compared, the top bar is 5251 aluminum and the bottom bar is M1A magnesium.
Metric UnitsUS Customary Units
Mechanical Properties
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus, GPa | 68 | |
45 |
Elongation at Break, % | 2.0 to 19 | |
5.5 |
Fatigue Strength, MPa | 59 to 110 | |
88 |
Poisson's Ratio | 0.33 | |
0.29 |
Shear Modulus, GPa | 26 | |
18 |
Shear Strength, MPa | 110 to 160 | |
120 |
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa | 180 to 280 | |
230 |
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof), MPa | 67 to 250 | |
130 |
Thermal Properties
Latent Heat of Fusion, J/g | 400 | |
350 |
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical, °C | 180 | |
95 |
Melting Completion (Liquidus), °C | 650 | |
610 |
Melting Onset (Solidus), °C | 610 | |
580 |
Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K | 900 | |
990 |
Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K | 150 | |
150 |
Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K | 24 | |
26 |
Electrical Properties
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume, % IACS | 37 | |
35 |
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific), % IACS | 120 | |
190 |
Otherwise Unclassified Properties
Base Metal Price, % relative | 9.5 | |
12 |
Density, g/cm3 | 2.7 | |
1.7 |
Embodied Carbon, kg CO2/kg material | 8.5 | |
24 |
Embodied Energy, MJ/kg | 150 | |
160 |
Embodied Water, L/kg | 1180 | |
970 |
Common Calculations
Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work), MJ/m3 | 5.4 to 27 | |
11 |
Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience), kJ/m3 | 33 to 450 | |
180 |
Stiffness to Weight: Axial, points | 14 | |
15 |
Stiffness to Weight: Bending, points | 50 | |
71 |
Strength to Weight: Axial, points | 18 to 29 | |
38 |
Strength to Weight: Bending, points | 26 to 35 | |
49 |
Thermal Diffusivity, mm2/s | 61 | |
88 |
Thermal Shock Resistance, points | 7.9 to 13 | |
13 |
Alloy Composition
Aluminum (Al), % | 95.5 to 98.2 | |
0 |
Calcium (Ca), % | 0 | |
0 to 0.3 |
Chromium (Cr), % | 0 to 0.15 | |
0 |
Copper (Cu), % | 0 to 0.15 | |
0 to 0.050 |
Iron (Fe), % | 0 to 0.5 | |
0 |
Magnesium (Mg), % | 1.7 to 2.4 | |
97.2 to 98.8 |
Manganese (Mn), % | 0.1 to 0.5 | |
1.2 to 2.0 |
Nickel (Ni), % | 0 | |
0 to 0.010 |
Silicon (Si), % | 0 to 0.4 | |
0 to 0.1 |
Titanium (Ti), % | 0 to 0.15 | |
0 |
Zinc (Zn), % | 0 to 0.15 | |
0 |
Residuals, % | 0 | |
0 to 0.3 |