2024-T81 Aluminum
2024-T81 aluminum is 2024 aluminum in the T81 temper. To achieve this temper, the metal is solution heat-treated, strain hardened by 1%, then artificially aged. The graph bars on the material properties cards below compare 2024-T81 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
5.4 %
Fatigue Strength
130 MPa 19 x 103 psi
Poisson's Ratio
0.33
Shear Modulus
27 GPa 3.9 x 106 psi
Shear Strength
300 MPa 43 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS)
510 MPa 75 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof)
450 MPa 65 x 103 psi
Thermal Properties
Latent Heat of Fusion
390 J/g
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical
200 °C 390 °F
Melting Completion (Liquidus)
640 °C 1180 °F
Melting Onset (Solidus)
500 °C 930 °F
Specific Heat Capacity
880 J/kg-K 0.21 BTU/lb-°F
Thermal Conductivity
120 W/m-K 70 BTU/h-ft-°F
Thermal Expansion
23 µm/m-K
Electrical Properties
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume
30 % IACS
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific)
90 % IACS
Otherwise Unclassified Properties
Base Metal Price
11 % relative
Calomel Potential
-600 mV
Density
3.0 g/cm3 190 lb/ft3
Embodied Carbon
8.3 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)
26 MJ/m3
Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience)
1400 kJ/m3
Stiffness to Weight: Axial
13 points
Stiffness to Weight: Bending
46 points
Strength to Weight: Axial
48 points
Strength to Weight: Bending
47 points
Thermal Diffusivity
46 mm2/s
Thermal Shock Resistance
22 points
Alloy Composition
| Al | 90.7 to 94.7 | |
| Cu | 3.8 to 4.9 | |
| Mg | 1.2 to 1.8 | |
| Mn | 0.3 to 0.9 | |
| Si | 0 to 0.5 | |
| Fe | 0 to 0.5 | |
| Zn | 0 to 0.25 | |
| Zr | 0 to 0.2 | |
| Ti | 0 to 0.15 | |
| Cr | 0 to 0.1 | |
| res. | 0 to 0.15 |
All values are % weight. Ranges represent what is permitted under applicable standards.
Followup Questions
Further Reading
ASTM B221: Standard Specification for Aluminum and Aluminum-Alloy Extruded Bars, Rods, Wire, Profiles, and Tubes
Aluminum: Properties and Physical Metallurgy, John E. Hatch (editor), 1984
ASTM B209: Standard Specification for Aluminum and Aluminum-Alloy Sheet and Plate
EN 755-2: Aluminium and aluminium alloys. Extruded rod/bar, tube and profiles. Mechanical properties
Aluminum Standards and Data, Aluminum Association Inc., 2013
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
Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys and Special-Purpose Materials, ASM Handbook vol. 2, ASM International, 1993