BeginnerTopic 24 of 100Materials & Chemical
Aluminium alloys
Light, corrosion-resistant metals strengthened by precipitation.
In depth
Aluminium is light (2.7 g/cm³), conductive and corrosion resistant. Wrought series: 1xxx pure, 2xxx Cu (aerospace), 3xxx Mn, 5xxx Mg (marine), 6xxx Mg-Si (extrusions), 7xxx Zn (highest strength). Heat-treatable alloys age harden; temper designations (T6, H14).
Key points
- Specific strength
- Non-heat-treatable vs heat-treatable
- Weldability and fatigue
Example7075-T6 is used in aircraft structures; 6063 for window frames.
Aluminium alloys combine low weight and good corrosion resistance, which makes them the default for aircraft, cars and cans.
What is Aluminium alloys?
Light, corrosion-resistant metals strengthened by precipitation.
Why is it important to understand aluminium alloys?
Aluminium alloys combine low weight and good corrosion resistance, which makes them the default for aircraft, cars and cans.
How is aluminium strengthened?
Precipitation hardening: solution treatment, quenching and ageing create fine precipitates that block dislocations.
Why is pure aluminium weak?
It is soft because dislocations move easily, so alloying and heat treatment are needed for structural use.
How is Aluminium alloys used in practice?
Typical applications include designing an aircraft wing rib from a heat-treated aluminium alloy, selecting an extruded aluminium profile for a window frame and choosing a cast alloy for an engine housing.
What should I learn before Aluminium alloys?
Study "Stainless steels" first (topic 23 of 100 in Materials & Chemical). It covers the groundwork this topic builds on.
What are the key points of Aluminium alloys?
Specific strength. Non-heat-treatable vs heat-treatable. Weldability and fatigue.
Can you give an example of Aluminium alloys?
7075-T6 is used in aircraft structures; 6063 for window frames.
What comes after Aluminium alloys?
The next topic is "Copper alloys", which builds directly on this one.
How difficult is Aluminium alloys?
It is classed as Beginner in Materials & Chemical (topic 24 of 100). It is an entry-level topic. It relies only on basic school mathematics and the ideas introduced earlier in this discipline.