6070 (A96070) Aluminum
6070 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. 6070 is the Aluminum Association (AA) designation for this material. In European standards, it will be given as EN AW-6070. A96070 is the UNS number.
It originally received its standard designation in 1962.
The properties of 6070 aluminum include two common variations. This page shows summary ranges across both of them. For more specific values, follow the links immediately below. The graph bars on the material properties cards further below compare 6070 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
70 GPa 10 x 106 psi
Elongation at Break
5.6 to 8.6 %
Fatigue Strength
95 to 130 MPa 14 to 18 x 103 psi
Poisson's Ratio
0.33
Shear Modulus
26 GPa 3.8 x 106 psi
Shear Strength
220 to 240 MPa 31 to 34 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS)
370 to 380 MPa 54 to 55 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof)
350 MPa 51 x 103 psi
Thermal Properties
Latent Heat of Fusion
410 J/g
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical
160 °C 320 °F
Melting Completion (Liquidus)
650 °C 1200 °F
Melting Onset (Solidus)
570 °C 1050 °F
Specific Heat Capacity
900 J/kg-K 0.21 BTU/lb-°F
Thermal Conductivity
160 W/m-K 93 BTU/h-ft-°F
Thermal Expansion
23 µm/m-K
Electrical Properties
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume
41 % IACS
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific)
140 % IACS
Otherwise Unclassified Properties
Base Metal Price
9.5 % relative
Density
2.7 g/cm3 170 lb/ft3
Embodied Carbon
8.3 kg CO2/kg material
Embodied Energy
150 MJ/kg 66 x 103 BTU/lb
Embodied Water
1170 L/kg 140 gal/lb
Common Calculations
Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work)
20 to 32 MJ/m3
Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience)
880 to 900 kJ/m3
Stiffness to Weight: Axial
14 points
Stiffness to Weight: Bending
50 points
Strength to Weight: Axial
38 points
Strength to Weight: Bending
42 to 43 points
Thermal Diffusivity
65 mm2/s
Thermal Shock Resistance
16 to 17 points
Alloy Composition
Among wrought aluminum alloys, the composition of 6070 aluminum is notable for containing a comparatively high amount of silicon (Si). Silicon is used to increase strength at the expense of ductility. It also lowers the melting temperature and raises the fluidity of the alloy.
| Al | 94.6 to 98 | |
| Si | 1.0 to 1.7 | |
| Mg | 0.5 to 1.2 | |
| Mn | 0.4 to 1.0 | |
| Cu | 0.15 to 0.4 | |
| Fe | 0 to 0.5 | |
| Zn | 0 to 0.25 | |
| Ti | 0 to 0.15 | |
| Cr | 0 to 0.1 | |
| res. | 0 to 0.15 |
All values are % weight. Ranges represent what is permitted under applicable standards.
Followup Questions
Similar Alloys
Further Reading
ASTM B221: Standard Specification for Aluminum and Aluminum-Alloy Extruded Bars, Rods, Wire, Profiles, and Tubes
Aluminum Standards and Data, Aluminum Association Inc., 2013
CRC Materials Science and Engineering Handbook, 4th ed., James F. Shackelford et al. (editors), 2015