6023 (AlSi1Sn1MgBi) Aluminum
6023 aluminum is a 6000-series aluminum alloy: there is significant alloying with both magnesium and silicon, and the alloy is formulated for primary forming into wrought products. 6023 is the Aluminum Association (AA) designation for this material. In European standards, it will be given as EN AW-6023. AlSi1Sn1MgBi is the EN chemical designation. Additionally, the UNS number is A96023.
It received its standard designation in 2001, making it a fairly young material.
The properties of 6023 aluminum include three common variations. This page shows summary ranges across all of them. For more specific values, follow the links immediately below. The graph bars on the material properties cards further below compare 6023 aluminum to: 6000-series alloys (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
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus
69 GPa 10 x 106 psi
Elongation at Break
11 %
Fatigue Strength
120 to 130 MPa 18 x 103 psi
Poisson's Ratio
0.33
Shear Modulus
26 GPa 3.7 x 106 psi
Shear Strength
210 to 220 MPa 31 to 32 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS)
360 MPa 52 to 53 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof)
300 to 310 MPa 44 to 45 x 103 psi
Thermal Properties
Latent Heat of Fusion
400 J/g
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical
160 °C 320 °F
Melting Completion (Liquidus)
640 °C 1180 °F
Melting Onset (Solidus)
580 °C 1070 °F
Specific Heat Capacity
890 J/kg-K 0.21 BTU/lb-°F
Thermal Conductivity
170 W/m-K 96 BTU/h-ft-°F
Thermal Expansion
23 µm/m-K
Electrical Properties
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume
45 % IACS
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific)
140 % IACS
Otherwise Unclassified Properties
Base Metal Price
11 % relative
Density
2.8 g/cm3 180 lb/ft3
Embodied Carbon
8.3 kg CO2/kg material
Embodied Energy
150 MJ/kg 66 x 103 BTU/lb
Embodied Water
1180 L/kg 140 gal/lb
Common Calculations
Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work)
38 to 39 MJ/m3
Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience)
670 to 690 kJ/m3
Stiffness to Weight: Axial
14 points
Stiffness to Weight: Bending
49 points
Strength to Weight: Axial
35 to 36 points
Strength to Weight: Bending
40 points
Thermal Diffusivity
67 mm2/s
Thermal Shock Resistance
16 points
Alloy Composition
Among wrought aluminum alloys, the composition of 6023 aluminum is notable for including tin (Sn) and bismuth (Bi). Tin is used to increase bearing properties at the cost of a decrease in corrosion resistance. Bismuth is used to improve machinability at the cost of a decrease in weldability.
| Al | 94 to 97.7 | |
| Si | 0.6 to 1.4 | |
| Sn | 0.6 to 1.2 | |
| Mg | 0.4 to 0.9 | |
| Bi | 0.3 to 0.8 | |
| Mn | 0.2 to 0.6 | |
| Cu | 0.2 to 0.5 | |
| Fe | 0 to 0.5 | |
| res. | 0 to 0.15 |
All values are % weight. Ranges represent what is permitted under applicable standards.
Followup Questions
Similar Alloys
Further Reading
Aluminum: Properties and Physical Metallurgy, John E. Hatch (editor), 1984
EN 755-2: Aluminium and aluminium alloys. Extruded rod/bar, tube and profiles. Mechanical properties
EN 573-3: Aluminium and aluminium alloys. Chemical composition and form of wrought products. Chemical composition and form of products