518.0 (518.0-F, G8A, A05180) Cast Aluminum
518.0 aluminum is an aluminum alloy formulated for casting. Cited properties are appropriate for the as-fabricated (no temper or treatment) condition. 518.0 is the Aluminum Association (AA) designation for this material. A05180 is the UNS number. Older literature may refer to this material as ASTM G8A, but this is now discouraged.
The graph bars on the material properties cards below compare 518.0 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
Brinell Hardness
80
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus
67 GPa 9.8 x 106 psi
Elongation at Break
5.0 %
Fatigue Strength
140 MPa 20 x 103 psi
Poisson's Ratio
0.33
Shear Modulus
25 GPa 3.7 x 106 psi
Shear Strength
200 MPa 29 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS)
310 MPa 45 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof)
190 MPa 28 x 103 psi
Thermal Properties
Latent Heat of Fusion
390 J/g
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical
170 °C 340 °F
Melting Completion (Liquidus)
620 °C 1150 °F
Melting Onset (Solidus)
560 °C 1040 °F
Specific Heat Capacity
900 J/kg-K 0.22 BTU/lb-°F
Thermal Conductivity
98 W/m-K 56 BTU/h-ft-°F
Thermal Expansion
24 µm/m-K
Electrical Properties
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume
24 % IACS
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific)
81 % IACS
Otherwise Unclassified Properties
Base Metal Price
9.5 % relative
Density
2.7 g/cm3 170 lb/ft3
Embodied Carbon
9.4 kg CO2/kg material
Embodied Energy
150 MJ/kg 66 x 103 BTU/lb
Embodied Water
1160 L/kg 140 gal/lb
Common Calculations
Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work)
14 MJ/m3
Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience)
270 kJ/m3
Stiffness to Weight: Axial
14 points
Stiffness to Weight: Bending
51 points
Strength to Weight: Axial
32 points
Strength to Weight: Bending
38 points
Thermal Diffusivity
40 mm2/s
Thermal Shock Resistance
14 points
Alloy Composition
Among cast aluminum alloys, the composition of 518.0 aluminum is notable for containing a comparatively high amount of magnesium (Mg). Magnesium promotes hardenability through both heat treatment and strain hardening mechanisms. It also increases susceptibility to intergranular corrosion.
| Al | 88.1 to 92.5 | |
| Mg | 7.5 to 8.5 | |
| Fe | 0 to 1.8 | |
| Mn | 0 to 0.35 | |
| Si | 0 to 0.35 | |
| Cu | 0 to 0.25 | |
| Ni | 0 to 0.15 | |
| Sn | 0 to 0.15 | |
| Zn | 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
ASTM B85: Standard Specification for Aluminum-Alloy Die Castings
Iron in Aluminium Alloys: Impurity and Alloying Element, N. A. Belov et al., 2002
ASM Specialty Handbook: Aluminum and Aluminum Alloys, J. R. Davis (editor), 1993