EN AC-46500 (46500-F, AISi9Cu3(Fe)(Zn)) Cast Aluminum
EN AC-46500 aluminum is an aluminum alloy formulated for casting. Cited properties are appropriate for the as-fabricated (no temper or treatment) condition. 46500 is the EN numeric designation for this material. AISi9Cu3(Fe)(Zn) is the EN chemical designation.
It has a fairly low ductility among Euronorm (EN) cast aluminums. In addition, it has a fairly low electrical conductivity and a fairly low melting temperature.
The graph bars on the material properties cards below compare EN AC-46500 aluminum to: Euronorm (EN) 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
Brinell Hardness
91
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus
74 GPa 11 x 106 psi
Elongation at Break
1.0 %
Fatigue Strength
110 MPa 16 x 103 psi
Poisson's Ratio
0.33
Shear Modulus
28 GPa 4.0 x 106 psi
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS)
270 MPa 39 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof)
160 MPa 23 x 103 psi
Thermal Properties
Latent Heat of Fusion
520 J/g
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical
180 °C 350 °F
Melting Completion (Liquidus)
610 °C 1140 °F
Melting Onset (Solidus)
520 °C 970 °F
Specific Heat Capacity
880 J/kg-K 0.21 BTU/lb-°F
Thermal Conductivity
100 W/m-K 59 BTU/h-ft-°F
Thermal Expansion
21 µm/m-K
Electrical Properties
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume
26 % IACS
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific)
81 % IACS
Otherwise Unclassified Properties
Base Metal Price
10 % relative
Density
2.9 g/cm3 180 lb/ft3
Embodied Carbon
7.6 kg CO2/kg material
Embodied Energy
140 MJ/kg 61 x 103 BTU/lb
Embodied Water
1030 L/kg 120 gal/lb
Common Calculations
Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work)
2.3 MJ/m3
Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience)
170 kJ/m3
Stiffness to Weight: Axial
14 points
Stiffness to Weight: Bending
49 points
Strength to Weight: Axial
26 points
Strength to Weight: Bending
32 points
Thermal Diffusivity
41 mm2/s
Thermal Shock Resistance
12 points
Alloy Composition
Among cast aluminum alloys, the composition of EN AC-46500 aluminum is notable for including chromium (Cr) and lead (Pb). Chromium is used to limit grain growth during hot working or heat treatment, which improves ductility and toughness. Chromium also reduces the alloy's susceptibility to stress corrosion cracking. If the alloy is anodized, the presence of chromium will tend to add a yellow tint to the film. Lead is used to improve machinability at the cost of toxicity and a decrease in weldability.
| Al | 77.9 to 90 | |
| Si | 8.0 to 11 | |
| Cu | 2.0 to 4.0 | |
| Zn | 0 to 3.0 | |
| Fe | 0 to 1.3 | |
| Mg | 0.050 to 0.55 | |
| Mn | 0 to 0.55 | |
| Ni | 0 to 0.55 | |
| Pb | 0 to 0.35 | |
| Ti | 0 to 0.25 | |
| Cr | 0 to 0.15 | |
| Sn | 0 to 0.15 | |
| res. | 0 to 0.25 |
All values are % weight. Ranges represent what is permitted under applicable standards.
Followup Questions
Similar Alloys
Further Reading
EN 1706: Aluminium and aluminium alloys. Castings. Chemical composition and mechanical properties
Iron in Aluminium Alloys: Impurity and Alloying Element, N. A. Belov et al., 2002