6101 (E-AlMgSi, 91E) Aluminum
6101 aluminum is a 6000-series aluminum alloy: there is significant alloying with both magnesium and silicon, and the alloy is formulated for primary forming into wrought products. 6101 is the Aluminum Association (AA) designation for this material. In European standards, it will be given as EN AW-6101. 91E is the British Standard (BS) designation. E-AlMgSi is the common industry name. Additionally, the UNS number is A96101.
It originally received its standard designation in 1955.
It can have the highest electrical conductivity and the highest thermal conductivity among 6000-series alloys.
The properties of 6101 aluminum include five 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 6101 aluminum to: 6000-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
10 to 25 %
Poisson's Ratio
0.33
Shear Modulus
26 GPa 3.7 x 106 psi
Thermal Properties
Latent Heat of Fusion
400 J/g
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical
160 °C 320 °F
Melting Completion (Liquidus)
650 °C 1210 °F
Melting Onset (Solidus)
620 °C 1150 °F
Specific Heat Capacity
900 J/kg-K 0.22 BTU/lb-°F
Thermal Conductivity
220 to 230 W/m-K 130 BTU/h-ft-°F
Thermal Expansion
23 µm/m-K
Electrical Properties
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume
57 to 60 % IACS
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific)
190 to 200 % IACS
Otherwise Unclassified Properties
Base Metal Price
9.5 % relative
Density
2.7 g/cm3 170 lb/ft3
Embodied Carbon
8.3 kg CO2/kg material
Embodied Energy
150 MJ/kg 66 x 103 BTU/lb
Embodied Water
1190 L/kg 140 gal/lb
Common Calculations
Stiffness to Weight: Axial
14 points
Stiffness to Weight: Bending
50 points
Thermal Diffusivity
89 to 93 mm2/s
Alloy Composition
Among wrought aluminum alloys, the composition of 6101 aluminum is notable for including boron (B). Boron is used as a grain refiner, and to improve electrical conductivity.
| Al | 97.6 to 99.4 | |
| Mg | 0.35 to 0.8 | |
| Si | 0.3 to 0.7 | |
| Fe | 0 to 0.5 | |
| Zn | 0 to 0.1 | |
| Cu | 0 to 0.1 | |
| B | 0 to 0.060 | |
| Mn | 0 to 0.030 | |
| Cr | 0 to 0.030 | |
| res. | 0 to 0.1 |
All values are % weight. Ranges represent what is permitted under applicable standards.
Followup Questions
Similar Alloys
Further Reading
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