Differences Between Aluminium 6060 and 6082
When it comes to selecting the right aluminum alloy for your project, understanding the subtle differences between Aluminium 6060 and…
When it comes to selecting the right aluminium alloy for your project, understanding the nuances between different grades can be crucial. Aluminium 6060 and 2017-T3 are two popular alloys, each with its own unique set of properties that make them suitable for specific applications. Whether you’re working on architectural structures or aerospace components, knowing how these materials differ in terms of chemical composition, mechanical properties, and thermal characteristics can significantly impact your decision-making process.
In this article, we dive deep into the specifics of Aluminium 6060 and 2017-T3, comparing their strengths, weaknesses, and typical uses. You’ll discover why Aluminium 6060 is favored in construction for its moderate strength and excellent corrosion resistance, while 2017-T3 stands out in the aerospace industry for its high tensile strength and superior machinability. By the end of this comprehensive analysis, you’ll have a clear understanding of which alloy best suits your needs, enabling you to make informed choices for your next project. So, let’s explore the fascinating world of aluminium alloys and uncover the key differences that set 6060 and 2017-T3 apart.
Aluminium 6060 is an alloy from the 6000 series, known for its combination of magnesium and silicon. This gives it unique properties, making it suitable for various applications. The alloy contains 97.9 to 99.3% aluminium, 0.35 to 0.5% magnesium, 0.3 to 0.6% silicon, 0.1 to 0.3% iron, 0.1% manganese, a maximum of 0.1% copper, 0.05% chromium, 0.1% titanium, and 0.15% zinc, with residuals up to 0.15%. The high aluminium content provides excellent corrosion resistance and durability. Magnesium and silicon enhance strength and machinability, making this alloy ideal for extrusion and structural uses.
Aluminium 2017-T3, part of the 2000 series, is characterized by significant copper content, enhancing its mechanical properties, especially its strength. The alloy comprises 91.6 to 95.5% aluminium, 3.5 to 4.5% copper, 0.4 to 0.8% magnesium, 0.4 to 1.0% manganese, 0.2 to 0.8% silicon, up to 0.5% iron, 0.25% zinc, 0.1% chromium, and 0.15% titanium. Copper as the primary alloying element greatly increases the alloy’s strength and hardness, making it suitable for high-stress applications such as aerospace components.
The primary alloying elements differ significantly between Aluminium 6060 and 2017-T3. Aluminium 6060 primarily includes magnesium and silicon, resulting in a higher aluminium content (97.9 to 99.3%) and minimal copper (0.1% max). In contrast, Aluminium 2017-T3 features a substantial copper content (3.5 to 4.5%), reducing the aluminium content to 91.6 to 95.5%.
The distinct chemical compositions of Aluminium 6060 and 2017-T3 directly affect their mechanical and thermal properties, as well as their suitability for different applications. Aluminium 6060’s high aluminium content makes it ideal for architectural and structural uses, while 2017-T3’s significant copper content provides high strength for aerospace and other high-stress environments.
Aluminium 6060-T6 is valued for its moderate strength and excellent formability, which makes it versatile for many uses. The ultimate tensile strength of Aluminium 6060-T6 is 220 MPa, indicating the maximum stress the material can withstand before breaking. Its yield strength is 170 MPa, marking the stress level at which it begins to deform permanently. Additionally, it has an elongation at break of 11%, showing its ability to stretch before breaking.
The Young’s modulus for 6060-T6 is 68 GPa, which measures the stiffness of the material. It also has a shear strength of 130 MPa, indicating its resistance to forces that cause parts of the material to slide past each other.
Aluminium 2017-T3 stands out for its high strength, making it a top choice for demanding applications, especially in the aerospace industry. Aluminium 2017-T3 has an ultimate tensile strength ranging from 470 to 520 MPa, allowing it to withstand greater stress before breaking. Its yield strength is between 360 to 400 MPa, enabling it to endure higher stress levels before permanent deformation. This alloy also has an elongation at break of 17%, offering greater flexibility and toughness.
The Young’s modulus for 2017-T3 is 71 GPa, indicating its stiffness. Its shear strength is 260 MPa, making it more resistant to shear forces.
These differences highlight that while Aluminium 6060-T6 is ideal for moderate strength and formability, Aluminium 2017-T3 excels in high-strength and high-stress environments.
Thermal conductivity is essential for materials involved in heat transfer applications. Aluminium 6060, across its various tempers such as T4, T5, T6, and T66, exhibits a thermal conductivity of approximately 210 W/m·K. This high thermal conductivity makes it suitable for applications requiring efficient heat dissipation.
In contrast, Aluminium 2017-T3 has a lower thermal conductivity, typical of 2000-series alloys, which is around 150 W/m·K. This lower value is due to its different composition, particularly its higher copper content, which generally reduces thermal conductivity compared to the 6000-series alloys.
Specific heat capacity indicates the amount of heat required to change the temperature of a material by a given amount. Aluminium 6060 has a specific heat capacity of about 900 J/kg·K. This high value means it can absorb a lot of heat without a large increase in temperature.
Aluminium 2017-T3 has a specific heat capacity of approximately 880 J/kg·K. Although slightly lower than that of 6060, this value is still high, indicating good heat absorption capabilities, which is beneficial in high-temperature environments.
The melting point of an alloy is crucial for determining its suitability in high-temperature applications. Aluminium 6060 starts melting at around 610°C and is fully melted at 660°C, making it ideal for high-temperature applications.
For Aluminium 2017-T3, the solidus temperature is around 510°C, and the liquidus temperature is about 640°C. These slightly lower melting points compared to 6060 reflect the influence of the alloying elements, particularly copper, which lowers the melting range.
Thermal expansion measures how much a material expands when heated. Aluminium 6060 has a linear thermal expansion coefficient of about 23 µm/m·K. This high coefficient means 6060 expands a lot with temperature changes, which is important to consider in applications needing dimensional stability.
Aluminium 2017-T3 has a thermal expansion coefficient in the range of 23-24 µm/m·K, similar to that of 6060. This indicates that both alloys exhibit comparable expansion characteristics when subjected to temperature changes.
Latent heat of fusion is the energy needed to turn a solid into a liquid without changing its temperature. Aluminium 6060 has a latent heat of fusion of approximately 400 J/g. This high value indicates the significant energy required for the phase change, which is important in processes involving melting and solidification.
Aluminium 2017-T3 has a latent heat of fusion around 390-400 J/g, similar to 6060. This similarity suggests that both alloys require nearly the same amount of energy for the phase transition from solid to liquid.
The maximum mechanical temperature indicates the highest temperature at which the alloy can maintain its mechanical properties. Aluminium 6060 can withstand a maximum mechanical temperature of about 160°C, making it suitable for applications where moderate temperatures are encountered without significant degradation of its mechanical properties.
Although the exact maximum mechanical temperature for Aluminium 2017-T3 isn’t specified, 2000-series alloys like it are usually used in high-strength applications at temperatures below 150°C. This makes 2017-T3 suitable for aerospace and other high-stress environments where temperature stability is crucial.
In summary, while both alloys have their strengths, Aluminium 6060 excels in thermal conductivity and heat resistance, whereas Aluminium 2017-T3 is preferred for high-strength applications at moderately elevated temperatures.
Aluminium 6060 is highly valued in architectural and decorative applications due to its excellent surface finish, moderate strength, and ease of forming. Its common uses include:
In summary, Aluminium 6060 is ideal for projects where appearance and ease of fabrication are essential.
Aluminium 2017-T3 is perfect for high-performance applications, particularly where high strength and fatigue resistance are crucial. Typical uses include:
In conclusion, Aluminium 2017-T3 excels in demanding applications requiring superior strength and durability.
Aluminium 6060 offers outstanding machinability, making it a versatile choice for various manufacturing methods:
Overall, Aluminium 6060’s machinability makes it a preferred material for diverse manufacturing needs.
Aluminium 2017-T3, while machinable, requires careful handling:
In summary, Aluminium 2017-T3 is best suited for high-precision parts in demanding environments.
In essence, Aluminium 6060 is ideal for general applications requiring formability and aesthetics, while Aluminium 2017-T3 is perfect for high-stress, high-performance environments.
Below are answers to some frequently asked questions:
The main differences in chemical composition between Aluminium 6060 and 2017-T3 are primarily due to their different primary alloying elements and aluminium content. Aluminium 6060 is primarily alloyed with magnesium (0.35-0.5%) and silicon (0.3-0.6%), while 2017-T3 is primarily alloyed with copper (3.5-4.5%). Aluminium 6060 has a higher aluminium content (97.9-99.3%) compared to 2017-T3 (91.6-95.5%). Additionally, 2017-T3 contains higher amounts of manganese (0.4-1.0%) and magnesium (0.4-0.8%) compared to 6060. The presence of iron and zinc is also higher in 2017-T3, with iron up to 0.7% and zinc up to 0.5%, whereas 6060 has iron in the range of 0.1-0.3% and zinc up to 0.15%. These differences result in distinct mechanical properties and applications for each alloy.
The 2017-T3 aluminium alloy has better mechanical properties compared to the 6060 aluminium alloy. Specifically, 2017-T3 has a higher ultimate tensile strength (430 MPa vs. 220 MPa), yield strength (240 MPa vs. 170 MPa), and shear strength (260 MPa vs. 130 MPa). Additionally, it has a slightly higher Young’s modulus (71 GPa vs. 68 GPa) and greater elongation at break (17% vs. 11%). Therefore, 2017-T3 is generally more suitable for applications requiring higher strength and durability.
Aluminium 6060 and 2017-T3 have distinct thermal properties due to their different compositions. Aluminium 6060 has a higher thermal conductivity (210 W/m-K) compared to 2017-T3 (150 W/m-K), making it better for applications requiring efficient heat dissipation. The specific heat capacities are similar, with 6060 at 900 J/kg-K and 2017-T3 at 880 J/kg-K. In terms of thermal expansion, 6060 expands slightly less (23 μm/m-K) compared to 2017-T3 (24 μm/m-K). Lastly, 6060 has higher melting points (610-660°C) than 2017-T3 (510-640°C), which impacts their suitability for different thermal environments.
Aluminium 6060 is commonly used in architectural and structural applications due to its good corrosion resistance, moderate strength, and excellent workability. Typical uses include architectural extrusions for windows, doors, curtain walls, and interior fittings, as well as frame systems, lighting, ladders, railings, and fences. It is also employed in heating and cooling systems such as pipes, heat sinks, and heat exchangers, furniture and office equipment, truck and trailer flooring, pneumatic installations, railway interiors, and special machinery elements. Additionally, it is used in electrical and electronic components like heat sink sections and electro motor housings, as well as irrigation systems for its corrosion resistance and ability to withstand outdoor conditions.
Aluminium 2017-T3 is preferred in aerospace applications due to its high strength and excellent strength-to-weight ratio, which are crucial for withstanding the significant stresses encountered in aerospace environments. It has an ultimate tensile strength of 430 MPa and a yield strength of 240 MPa, making it suitable for high-stress components like aircraft structural parts. Additionally, its good machinability allows for the efficient and precise manufacturing of complex parts, while heat treatment processes enhance its mechanical properties, making it robust enough for critical aerospace applications.
Aluminium 6060 can be used in moderately stressful environments due to its balanced mechanical properties, including moderate strength and good ductility. However, it is not the best choice for very high-stress environments. For such applications, Aluminium 2017-T3, with its significantly higher strength and better fatigue resistance, would be more suitable despite its lower ductility.
