6162 (A96162) Aluminum
6162 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. 6162 is the Aluminum Association (AA) designation for this material. In European standards, it will be given as EN AW-6162. A96162 is the UNS number.
It originally received its standard designation in 1959.
The properties of 6162 aluminum include six 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 6162 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
68 GPa 9.9 x 106 psi
Elongation at Break
6.7 to 9.1 %
Fatigue Strength
100 to 130 MPa 15 to 19 x 103 psi
Poisson's Ratio
0.33
Shear Modulus
26 GPa 3.7 x 106 psi
Shear Strength
170 to 180 MPa 24 to 25 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS)
290 to 300 MPa 41 to 43 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof)
260 to 270 MPa 38 to 40 x 103 psi
Thermal Properties
Latent Heat of Fusion
400 J/g
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical
160 °C 320 °F
Melting Completion (Liquidus)
640 °C 1190 °F
Melting Onset (Solidus)
620 °C 1140 °F
Specific Heat Capacity
900 J/kg-K 0.22 BTU/lb-°F
Thermal Conductivity
190 W/m-K 110 BTU/h-ft-°F
Thermal Expansion
23 µm/m-K
Electrical Properties
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume
50 % IACS
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific)
170 % 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
1180 L/kg 140 gal/lb
Common Calculations
Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work)
19 to 26 MJ/m3
Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience)
510 to 550 kJ/m3
Stiffness to Weight: Axial
14 points
Stiffness to Weight: Bending
50 points
Strength to Weight: Axial
29 to 30 points
Strength to Weight: Bending
36 points
Thermal Diffusivity
79 mm2/s
Thermal Shock Resistance
13 points
Alloy Composition
Among wrought aluminum alloys, the composition of 6162 aluminum is notable for containing comparatively high amounts of magnesium (Mg) and silicon (Si). Magnesium promotes hardenability through both heat treatment and strain hardening mechanisms. It also increases susceptibility to intergranular corrosion. 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 | 96.7 to 98.9 | |
| Mg | 0.7 to 1.1 | |
| Si | 0.4 to 0.8 | |
| Fe | 0 to 0.5 | |
| Zn | 0 to 0.25 | |
| Cu | 0 to 0.2 | |
| Mn | 0 to 0.1 | |
| Cr | 0 to 0.1 | |
| Ti | 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
ASM Specialty Handbook: Aluminum and Aluminum Alloys, J. R. Davis (editor), 1993