2017A (AlCu4MgSi(A), 3.1325, H14) Aluminum
2017A aluminum is a 2000-series aluminum alloy: the main alloying addition is copper, and it is formulated for primary forming into wrought products. 2017A is the Aluminum Association (AA) designation for this material. In European standards, it will be given as EN AW-2017A. AlCu4MgSi(A) is the EN chemical designation. H14 is the British Standard (BS) designation. Additionally, the AFNOR (French) designation is A-U4G.
It originally received its standard designation in 1972.
The properties of 2017A aluminum include twelve common variations. This page shows summary ranges across all of them. For more specific values, follow the links immediately below. The graph bars on the material properties cards further below compare 2017A aluminum to: 2000-series alloys (top), all aluminum alloys (middle), and the entire database (bottom). A full bar means this is the highest value in the relevant set. A half-full bar means it's 50% of the highest, and so on.
Mechanical Properties
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus
71 GPa 10 x 106 psi
Elongation at Break
2.2 to 14 %
Fatigue Strength
92 to 130 MPa 13 to 19 x 103 psi
Poisson's Ratio
0.33
Shear Modulus
27 GPa 3.9 x 106 psi
Shear Strength
120 to 270 MPa 18 to 40 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS)
200 to 460 MPa 30 to 66 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof)
110 to 290 MPa 16 to 41 x 103 psi
Thermal Properties
Latent Heat of Fusion
390 J/g
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical
220 °C 420 °F
Melting Completion (Liquidus)
650 °C 1190 °F
Melting Onset (Solidus)
510 °C 950 °F
Specific Heat Capacity
880 J/kg-K 0.21 BTU/lb-°F
Thermal Conductivity
150 W/m-K 85 BTU/h-ft-°F
Thermal Expansion
23 µm/m-K
Electrical Properties
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume
34 % IACS
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific)
100 % IACS
Otherwise Unclassified Properties
Base Metal Price
11 % relative
Density
3.0 g/cm3 190 lb/ft3
Embodied Carbon
8.2 kg CO2/kg material
Embodied Energy
150 MJ/kg 65 x 103 BTU/lb
Embodied Water
1140 L/kg 140 gal/lb
Common Calculations
Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work)
6.7 to 53 MJ/m3
Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience)
90 to 570 kJ/m3
Stiffness to Weight: Axial
13 points
Stiffness to Weight: Bending
46 points
Strength to Weight: Axial
19 to 42 points
Strength to Weight: Bending
26 to 44 points
Thermal Diffusivity
56 mm2/s
Thermal Shock Resistance
8.9 to 20 points
Alloy Composition
Among wrought aluminum alloys, the composition of 2017A aluminum is notable for containing a comparatively high amount of copper (Cu) and including zirconium (Zr). Copper is used to improve strength. This comes at the cost of a decrease in corrosion resistance and weldability. Zirconium is used to increase an alloy's recrystallization temperature, which increases the temperature at which the alloy can be used without permanent loss of mechanical properties.
| Al | 91.3 to 95.5 | |
| Cu | 3.5 to 4.5 | |
| Mn | 0.4 to 1.0 | |
| Mg | 0.4 to 1.0 | |
| Si | 0.2 to 0.8 | |
| Fe | 0 to 0.7 | |
| Ti | 0 to 0.25 | |
| Zr | 0 to 0.25 | |
| Zn | 0 to 0.25 | |
| Cr | 0 to 0.1 | |
| res. | 0 to 0.15 |
All values are % weight. Ranges represent what is permitted under applicable standards.
Followup Questions
Similar Alloys
Further Reading
Aerospace Materials, Brian Cantor et al. (editors), 2001
Handbook of Aluminum vol. 2: Alloy Production and Materials Manufacturing, George Totten and D. Scott MacKenzie (editors), 2003
EN 754-2: Aluminium and aluminium alloys. Cold drawn rod/bar and tube. Mechanical properties
EN 755-2: Aluminium and aluminium alloys. Extruded rod/bar, tube and profiles. Mechanical properties
EN 485-2: Aluminium and aluminium alloys. Sheet, strip and plate. Mechanical properties
ISO 6361-2: Wrought aluminium and aluminium alloys - Sheets, strips and plates - Part 2: Mechanical properties
EN 573-3: Aluminium and aluminium alloys. Chemical composition and form of wrought products. Chemical composition and form of products