What types of aluminum alloys are included?
Aluminum alloys are alloys that are based on aluminum and add other metal elements (such as copper, magnesium, silicon, manganese, zinc, etc.) to improve their properties. According to different alloying elements and application requirements, aluminum alloys can be divided into several series, each series has different characteristics and application fields. The following are common types of aluminum alloys and their main components and characteristics:
Aluminum-copper alloy (2xxx series)
Main components: mainly aluminum and copper, the copper content is generally 2% -10%.
Features: It has good strength and high temperature resistance, but poor corrosion resistance. Usually requires surface treatment to improve corrosion resistance.
Application: Widely used in aerospace, military equipment, aircraft structural parts and other fields that require high strength.
Common alloys:
2024: One of the most common materials in aluminum-copper alloys, it has high strength and is widely used in the aerospace industry.
Aluminum-magnesium alloy (5xxx series)
Main components: aluminum and magnesium, with a magnesium content usually between 3% and 8%.
Features: Excellent corrosion resistance, especially suitable for marine environments. Good weldability and machinability, moderate strength.
Application: Widely used in ships, marine equipment, chemical equipment, transportation, etc., suitable for seawater and humid environments.
Common alloys:
5052: Often used in the production of ships, oil tanks, pressure vessels, etc.
5083: With higher strength and corrosion resistance, it is commonly used in marine, marine, and refrigerated transportation equipment.
Aluminum-silicon alloy (3xxx series)
Main components: aluminum and silicon, the silicon content is usually 5% to 12%.
Features: It has good casting performance and low density, good wear resistance, but the strength is not as good as other series. Good oxidation resistance and corrosion resistance.
Application: It is often used in the manufacture of castings, such as automotive engines, mechanical parts, etc., and is widely used in the construction and home appliance industries.
Common alloys:
3003: It has good machinability and corrosion resistance and is commonly used in kitchen supplies, heat exchangers, and building materials.
Aluminum-manganese alloy (3xxx series)
Main components: aluminum and manganese, with a manganese content of usually 1% to 1.5%.
Features: Excellent corrosion resistance, especially in seawater and chemical environments. Moderate strength, good formability.
Applications: Mainly used in food, chemical, and construction applications, such as aluminum foil, pressure vessels, and transportation equipment.
Common alloys:
3004: Used to make roofs, wall panels, and other building materials.
Aluminum-magnesium-manganese alloy (5xxx series)
Main components: alloys of aluminum, magnesium and manganese, with high content of magnesium and manganese.
Features: These alloys not only have high strength, but also exhibit excellent corrosion and oxidation resistance in marine environments.
Application: Widely used in marine, transportation, energy and chemical industries.
Common alloys:
5086: Commonly used in ships and marine structures, it has excellent corrosion resistance.
Aluminum-zinc alloy (7xxx series)
Main components: aluminum and zinc, with a zinc content of usually 5% to 8%.
Features: With high strength and good corrosion resistance, it is suitable for applications requiring high strength. Among the commonly used aluminum alloy types, the 7xxx series has higher strength.
Application: Mainly used in the aerospace and military industries to make high-strength structural parts, such as aircraft wings, missiles, etc.
Common alloys:
7075: Widely used in aerospace, military, and high-strength fields, such as aircraft fuselages and aircraft structural parts.
Aluminum-lead alloy (8xxx series)
Main components: aluminum and a small amount of lead or other elements.
Features: Lead alloys have good electrical conductivity, but the use of lead is limited and is mainly used in special fields.
Application: Lead alloys are mainly used for special purposes such as electrical batteries and radiation shielding.
Pure aluminum (1xxx series)
Main ingredient: pure aluminum (aluminum content is usually above 99%).
Features: Excellent electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity and corrosion resistance, but low strength. Easy to process into various shapes, suitable for precision equipment, coatings, etc.
Application: Commonly used in power, electronics, chemical equipment, and food packaging industries.
Common alloys:
1050: Commonly used in wires, cables, conductive plates, and chemical equipment.
Aluminum-lithium alloys (2xxx and 7xxx series)
Main components: aluminum, lithium and other alloying elements.
Features: Aluminum-lithium alloys offer lower density, higher strength, and better corrosion resistance, making them an important material in the aerospace industry.
Application: Mainly used in the aerospace and military fields as a high-strength, lightweight structural material.
Summarize:
High-strength alloys such as 2xxx (aluminum-copper alloy) and 7xxx (aluminum-zinc alloy) are commonly used in aerospace, military, and other fields.
Good corrosion-resistant alloys such as 5xxx (aluminum-magnesium alloy) and 3xxx (aluminum-silicon alloy) are widely used in marine, construction, transportation, and other environments.
High conductivity alloys: such as 1xxx (pure aluminum alloy), mainly used in power and electrical fields.
Different series of aluminum alloys have different properties such as strength, corrosion resistance, weldability, and machinability according to their composition. When selecting an alloy, its performance characteristics should be comprehensively considered according to the application requirements.
