6061 VS 7075 Aluminum, What is The Difference?
In the recent use of aluminum alloys, the two most commonly used grades are the 6061 aluminum and the 7075 aluminum. Many aluminum alloy users have found it difficult to differentiate these two alloys for usage within the industry. However, both alloys bear distinct properties that differentiate each from one other.
As a result, it is important to understand the differences between these two alloys. This allows for an effective selection of materials of the best fit for a project. This post shows the obvious differences between 6061 Aluminum and 7075 Aluminum.
Basic Introduction To 6061 And 7075 Aluminum
As we have mentioned earlier, the objective of this article is to throw more light on the difference between 6061 aluminum and 7075 aluminum. Before we go deep into the review guide, let’s examined each grade of aluminum.
6061 Aluminum Grade
Aluminum 6061 is one of the most versatile heat-treatable alloys of aluminum. This aluminum grade which is originally called “Alloy 61S” was developed in 1935. This alloy is one of the most commonly used aluminum grades. This is because it exhibits a wide range of mechanical properties as well as corrosion resistance. The 6061 Aluminum can be easily fabricated, exhibit excellent formability, and is weldable using all methods with furnace brazing inclusive. This grade of aluminum alloy comes from the aluminum series 6xxx.
The Aluminum 6061 is made up 95.8 to 98.6% aluminum, with 0.8 to 1.2% magnesium, and 0.4 to 0.8% Silicon. Besides, it contains a trace number of elements including Copper, Chromium, and more.
7075 Aluminum Grade
The alloy – 7075 aluminum was first developed secretly by a Japanese company in 1936. It was later introduced by?Alcoa?in 1943. The 7075 aluminum exists to be one of the highest strength alloys of aluminum with an excellent strength-to-weight ratio. It offers a wide range of impressive mechanical properties and features good resistance to fatigue and good ductility. As a result of its excellent properties, it is extensively used for highly stressed applications and in aircraft structural parts.
7075 aluminum alloy contains 5.6 to 6.1% zinc, 2.1 to 2.5% magnesium, and 1.2 to 1.6% copper. Other metals in its compositions include silicon, manganese, chromium, titanium, iron, and more. In addition, the aluminum 7075 alloy comes from the aluminum alloy series 7xxx.
Now that we have an understanding of what 6061 aluminum and 7071 aluminum are, then we can proceed to access the differences between the two alloys.
What Differentiates Between Aluminum 6061 and Aluminum 7075?
The 6061 Aluminum and the 7075 Aluminum exhibit excellent properties which are common to both while some properties differentiate the two from one another. The key differences are the type of alloy series, chemical components, mechanical properties, and applications.
For easy understanding, we will expatiate on each attribute to draw a comparison between 6061 and 7075 aluminum alloy grades. The essence of doing this is to give manufacturers more insight before setting upon a particular alloy. The following attributes for the comparisons:
6061 vs 7075 Aluminum: Alloy Series
The 6061 aluminum grades exist in pre-tempered and tempered grades. This include:
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The 7075 Aluminum grade is produced in a wide range of tempers. This include:
6061 vs 7075 Aluminum: Mechanical Properties
For mechanical property comparison, various factors are used to differentiate the 6061 aluminum from the 7075 aluminum. These factors include:
Yield Strength Comparison
The yield strength of a material is said to be the maximum stress at which a material begins to deform permanently. In comparison, 7075 aluminum possesses a higher yield strength than 6061 aluminum. In essence, 7075 aluminum can withstand more at higher impact and pressure without deformity for some time. This property is a result of heat treatment as well as the chemical composition of 7075 aluminum. On the other hand, 6061 aluminum is not entirely weak but possesses a slightly lower yield strength compared to 7071 aluminum.
Elasticity Comparison
In this context, elasticity is the ability of a material to return to its original shape after the deformation force is removed. However, when we compared Young’s tensile modulus of both alloys, it shows that they respond almost equally. In terms of metric 6061 aluminum has 69 GPa while 7075 aluminum possesses 70 GPa.
Thermal Conductivity
Thermal conductivity Is a metric used to quantify the ability of a material to transfer or conduct heat. Generally, aluminum alloys are not used for insulation. This is because all forms of aluminum alloys are good conductors of heat. The chemical composition of both heat-treated grades of aluminum alloys contributes significantly to their thermal conductivity.
In this case, 6061 aluminum possesses slightly higher thermal conductivity in comparison with 7075 aluminum. Consequently, 6061 aluminum is preferred when heat dissipation is primarily required, for example, in heat exchangers.
Electrical Resistivity
The electrical resistivity of a material is a measure of the resistance to the transfer of electricity. When we examined the two alloys closely, both possess low electrical resistivity. However, 6061 aluminum displays the lowest electrical resistivity which means that it is a good conductor in comparison with 7075 aluminum.
Material Hardness Comparison
Material hardness involves the ability of a material to resist deformation either by penetration or indentation. Hard materials are mostly brittle and they dent easily while less hard materials are ductile and can withstand bending without denting under pressure. Comparing the two alloys both are hard enough to resist deformity without cracking under pressure. However, our hardness test reveals that 7075 aluminum is harder in comparison with 6061 aluminum.