B390.0 (B390.0-F, SC174B, A23900) Cast Aluminum
B390.0 aluminum is an aluminum alloy formulated for casting. Cited properties are appropriate for the as-fabricated (no temper or treatment) condition. B390.0 is the Aluminum Association (AA) designation for this material. A23900 is the UNS number. Older literature may refer to this material as ASTM SC174B, but this is now discouraged.
It has a moderately low embodied energy among the ANSI/AA cast aluminums in the database.
The graph bars on the material properties cards below compare B390.0 aluminum to: ANSI/AA cast aluminums (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
76 GPa 11 x 106 psi
Elongation at Break
0.88 %
Fatigue Strength
170 MPa 25 x 103 psi
Poisson's Ratio
0.33
Shear Modulus
29 GPa 4.1 x 106 psi
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS)
320 MPa 46 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof)
250 MPa 36 x 103 psi
Thermal Properties
Latent Heat of Fusion
640 J/g
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical
170 °C 340 °F
Melting Completion (Liquidus)
580 °C 1080 °F
Melting Onset (Solidus)
580 °C 1080 °F
Specific Heat Capacity
880 J/kg-K 0.21 BTU/lb-°F
Thermal Conductivity
130 W/m-K 77 BTU/h-ft-°F
Thermal Expansion
20 µm/m-K
Electrical Properties
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume
27 % IACS
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific)
88 % IACS
Otherwise Unclassified Properties
Base Metal Price
11 % relative
Density
2.8 g/cm3 170 lb/ft3
Embodied Carbon
7.3 kg CO2/kg material
Embodied Energy
130 MJ/kg 57 x 103 BTU/lb
Embodied Water
940 L/kg 110 gal/lb
Common Calculations
Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work)
2.6 MJ/m3
Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience)
410 kJ/m3
Stiffness to Weight: Axial
15 points
Stiffness to Weight: Bending
51 points
Strength to Weight: Axial
32 points
Strength to Weight: Bending
38 points
Thermal Diffusivity
55 mm2/s
Thermal Shock Resistance
15 points
Alloy Composition
Among cast aluminum alloys, the composition of B390.0 aluminum is notable for containing comparatively high amounts of silicon (Si) and copper (Cu). Silicon is used to improve casting fluidity and lower melting temperature. It also has a strengthening effect. Copper is used to improve strength. This comes at the cost of a decrease in corrosion resistance and weldability.
| Al | 72.7 to 79.6 | |
| Si | 16 to 18 | |
| Cu | 4.0 to 5.0 | |
| Zn | 0 to 1.5 | |
| Fe | 0 to 1.3 | |
| Mg | 0.45 to 0.65 | |
| Mn | 0 to 0.5 | |
| Ni | 0 to 0.1 | |
| Ti | 0 to 0.1 | |
| res. | 0 to 0.2 |
All values are % weight. Ranges represent what is permitted under applicable standards.
Followup Questions
Similar Alloys
Further Reading
ASTM B85: Standard Specification for Aluminum-Alloy Die Castings
Iron in Aluminium Alloys: Impurity and Alloying Element, N. A. Belov et al., 2002
Aluminum: Properties and Physical Metallurgy, John E. Hatch (editor), 1984
ASM Specialty Handbook: Aluminum and Aluminum Alloys, J. R. Davis (editor), 1993