5051A (AlMg2(B), 3.3326) Aluminum
5051A aluminum is a 5000-series aluminum alloy: the main alloying addition is magnesium, and it is formulated for primary forming into wrought products. 5051A is the Aluminum Association (AA) designation for this material. In European standards, it will be given as EN AW-5051A. AlMg2(B) is the EN chemical designation.
It originally received its standard designation in 1983.
The properties of 5051A aluminum include two common variations. This page shows summary ranges across both of them. For more specific values, follow the links immediately below. The graph bars on the material properties cards further below compare 5051A aluminum to: 5000-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
68 GPa 9.9 x 106 psi
Elongation at Break
18 to 21 %
Fatigue Strength
51 to 61 MPa 7.4 to 8.8 x 103 psi
Poisson's Ratio
0.33
Shear Modulus
26 GPa 3.7 x 106 psi
Shear Strength
110 MPa 15 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS)
170 MPa 25 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof)
56 MPa 8.1 x 103 psi
Thermal Properties
Latent Heat of Fusion
400 J/g
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical
190 °C 370 °F
Melting Completion (Liquidus)
640 °C 1190 °F
Melting Onset (Solidus)
610 °C 1120 °F
Specific Heat Capacity
900 J/kg-K 0.22 BTU/lb-°F
Thermal Conductivity
150 W/m-K 88 BTU/h-ft-°F
Thermal Expansion
23 µm/m-K
Electrical Properties
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume
39 % IACS
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific)
130 % IACS
Otherwise Unclassified Properties
Base Metal Price
9.5 % relative
Density
2.7 g/cm3 170 lb/ft3
Embodied Carbon
8.5 kg CO2/kg material
Embodied Energy
150 MJ/kg 66 x 103 BTU/lb
Embodied Water
1190 L/kg 140 gal/lb
Common Calculations
Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work)
24 to 27 MJ/m3
Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience)
23 kJ/m3
Stiffness to Weight: Axial
14 points
Stiffness to Weight: Bending
50 points
Strength to Weight: Axial
17 to 18 points
Strength to Weight: Bending
25 points
Thermal Diffusivity
63 mm2/s
Thermal Shock Resistance
7.6 points
Alloy Composition
Among wrought aluminum alloys, the composition of 5051A aluminum is notable for containing a comparatively high amount of magnesium (Mg). Magnesium promotes hardenability through both heat treatment and strain hardening mechanisms. It also increases susceptibility to intergranular corrosion.
| Al | 96.1 to 98.6 | |
| Mg | 1.4 to 2.1 | |
| Fe | 0 to 0.45 | |
| Si | 0 to 0.3 | |
| Cr | 0 to 0.3 | |
| Mn | 0 to 0.25 | |
| Zn | 0 to 0.2 | |
| Ti | 0 to 0.1 | |
| Cu | 0 to 0.050 | |
| res. | 0 to 0.15 |
All values are % weight. Ranges represent what is permitted under applicable standards.
Followup Questions
Similar Alloys
Further Reading
Handbook of Aluminum vol. 2: Alloy Production and Materials Manufacturing, George Totten and D. Scott MacKenzie (editors), 2003
EN 755-2: Aluminium and aluminium alloys. Extruded rod/bar, tube and profiles. 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