6151 Aluminum
6151 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. 6151 is the Aluminum Association (AA) designation for this material. In European standards, it will be given as EN AW-6151. Additionally, the UNS number is A96151.
It has been in use since 1928, but has only received its standard designation in 1954.
It can have the lowest ductility among the 6000-series alloys in the database.
The properties of 6151 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 6151 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
69 GPa 10 x 106 psi
Elongation at Break
1.1 to 5.7 %
Fatigue Strength
80 to 100 MPa 12 to 15 x 103 psi
Poisson's Ratio
0.33
Shear Modulus
26 GPa 3.8 x 106 psi
Shear Strength
190 to 200 MPa 27 to 29 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS)
330 to 340 MPa 48 to 49 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof)
270 to 280 MPa 39 to 41 x 103 psi
Thermal Properties
Latent Heat of Fusion
410 J/g
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical
170 °C 340 °F
Melting Completion (Liquidus)
650 °C 1200 °F
Melting Onset (Solidus)
590 °C 1090 °F
Specific Heat Capacity
900 J/kg-K 0.21 BTU/lb-°F
Thermal Conductivity
170 W/m-K 100 BTU/h-ft-°F
Thermal Expansion
23 µm/m-K
Electrical Properties
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume
45 % IACS
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific)
150 % IACS
Otherwise Unclassified Properties
Base Metal Price
9.5 % relative
Density
2.7 g/cm3 170 lb/ft3
Embodied Carbon
8.2 kg CO2/kg material
Embodied Energy
150 MJ/kg 66 x 103 BTU/lb
Embodied Water
1180 L/kg 140 gal/lb
Common Calculations
Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work)
3.5 to 18 MJ/m3
Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience)
520 to 580 kJ/m3
Stiffness to Weight: Axial
14 points
Stiffness to Weight: Bending
50 points
Strength to Weight: Axial
34 points
Strength to Weight: Bending
39 points
Thermal Diffusivity
70 mm2/s
Thermal Shock Resistance
15 points
Alloy Composition
Among wrought aluminum alloys, the composition of 6151 aluminum is notable for containing comparatively high amounts of silicon (Si) and magnesium (Mg). Silicon is used to increase strength at the expense of ductility. It also lowers the melting temperature and raises the fluidity of the alloy. Magnesium promotes hardenability through both heat treatment and strain hardening mechanisms. It also increases susceptibility to intergranular corrosion.
| Al | 95.6 to 98.8 | |
| Si | 0.6 to 1.2 | |
| Mg | 0.45 to 0.8 | |
| Fe | 0 to 1.0 | |
| Cr | 0.15 to 0.35 | |
| Cu | 0 to 0.35 | |
| Zn | 0 to 0.25 | |
| Mn | 0 to 0.2 | |
| Ti | 0 to 0.15 | |
| res. | 0 to 0.15 |
All values are % weight. Ranges represent what is permitted under applicable standards.
Followup Questions
Similar Alloys
Further Reading
ASTM B247: Standard Specification for Aluminum and Aluminum-Alloy Die Forgings, Hand Forgings, and Rolled Ring Forgings
Iron in Aluminium Alloys: Impurity and Alloying Element, N. A. Belov et al., 2002
Aluminum Standards and Data, Aluminum Association Inc., 2013
Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys and Special-Purpose Materials, ASM Handbook vol. 2, ASM International, 1993