5252 (AlMg2.5(B), A95252) Aluminum
5252 aluminum is a 5000-series aluminum alloy: the main alloying addition is magnesium, and it is formulated for primary forming into wrought products. 5252 is the Aluminum Association (AA) designation for this material. In European standards, it will be given as EN AW-5252. A95252 is the UNS number. Additionally, the EN chemical designation is AlMg2,5(B).
It originally received its standard designation in 1961.
The properties of 5252 aluminum include four 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 5252 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
Brinell Hardness
68 to 75
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus
68 GPa 9.8 x 106 psi
Elongation at Break
4.5 to 11 %
Fatigue Strength
100 to 110 MPa 15 to 16 x 103 psi
Poisson's Ratio
0.33
Shear Modulus
25 GPa 3.7 x 106 psi
Shear Strength
140 to 160 MPa 20 to 23 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS)
230 to 290 MPa 33 to 42 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof)
170 to 240 MPa 25 to 35 x 103 psi
Thermal Properties
Latent Heat of Fusion
400 J/g
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical
180 °C 360 °F
Melting Completion (Liquidus)
650 °C 1200 °F
Melting Onset (Solidus)
610 °C 1120 °F
Specific Heat Capacity
910 J/kg-K 0.22 BTU/lb-°F
Thermal Conductivity
140 W/m-K 80 BTU/h-ft-°F
Thermal Expansion
24 µm/m-K
Electrical Properties
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume
34 % IACS
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific)
120 % IACS
Otherwise Unclassified Properties
Base Metal Price
9.5 % relative
Density
2.7 g/cm3 170 lb/ft3
Embodied Carbon
8.7 kg CO2/kg material
Embodied Energy
160 MJ/kg 67 x 103 BTU/lb
Embodied Water
1190 L/kg 140 gal/lb
Common Calculations
Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work)
12 to 23 MJ/m3
Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience)
210 to 430 kJ/m3
Stiffness to Weight: Axial
14 points
Stiffness to Weight: Bending
51 points
Strength to Weight: Axial
23 to 30 points
Strength to Weight: Bending
31 to 36 points
Thermal Diffusivity
57 mm2/s
Thermal Shock Resistance
10 to 13 points
Alloy Composition
Among wrought aluminum alloys, the composition of 5252 aluminum is notable for including vanadium (V) and containing a comparatively high amount of magnesium (Mg). Vanadium is used to reduce grain size and increase recrystallization temperature. Magnesium promotes hardenability through both heat treatment and strain hardening mechanisms. It also increases susceptibility to intergranular corrosion.
| Al | 96.6 to 97.8 | |
| Mg | 2.2 to 2.8 | |
| Mn | 0 to 0.1 | |
| Fe | 0 to 0.1 | |
| Cu | 0 to 0.1 | |
| Si | 0 to 0.080 | |
| Zn | 0 to 0.050 | |
| V | 0 to 0.050 | |
| res. | 0 to 0.1 |
All values are % weight. Ranges represent what is permitted under applicable standards.
Followup Questions
Similar Alloys
Further Reading
ASTM B209: Standard Specification for Aluminum and Aluminum-Alloy Sheet and Plate
Aluminum Standards and Data, Aluminum Association Inc., 2013
ASM Specialty Handbook: Aluminum and Aluminum Alloys, J. R. Davis (editor), 1993
EN 573-3: Aluminium and aluminium alloys. Chemical composition and form of wrought products. Chemical composition and form of products