Aluminum 1100-O vs. Aluminum 5052-H32

Compare Aluminum 1100-O vs. Aluminum 5052-H32 strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

Mechanical	Aluminum 1100-O	Aluminum 5052-H32
Yield strength	35MPa1	195MPa25.57x stronger
Ultimate tensile strength	90MPa1	230MPa22.56x stronger
Elongation at break	35%12.92x more ductile	12%2
Young's modulus (stiffness)	69GPa1	70GPa2
Density	2,710kg/m³1	2,685kg/m³3
Strength to weight	12.9kN·m/kg	72.6kN·m/kg5.62x higher
Stiffness to weight	25.5MN·m/kg	26.1MN·m/kg2% higher
Poisson's ratio	not sourced	0.333
Shear modulus	not sourced	26.3GPa
Bulk modulus	not sourced	68.6GPa
Speed of sound	5,046m/s	5,106m/s1% faster

Stiffness against densityHigher and further left: stiffer for its weight

Strength against densityHigher and further left: stronger for its weight

Thermal	Aluminum 1100-O	Aluminum 5052-H32
Thermal conductivity	222W/m·K11.61x more heat through a fin	base material138W/m·K2
Thermal expansion	23.6µm/m·K1	23.8µm/m·K2
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing	118µm growth	119µm growth
Specific heat	base material901J/kg·K4	at 100 °C963J/kg·K3
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)	90.9mm²/s1.7x faster	53.4mm²/s
Thermal shock resistance	not sourced	10,822W/m
Melting point	melting range640–655°C1	melting range605–650°C2

Thermal conductivity against densityHigher and further left: spreads more heat for its weight

Thermal expansion against thermal conductivityLower and further right: warps less when heated

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Sources4 documents: Kaiser Aluminum, U.S. Department of Defense, Hydro

Aluminum 1100-O: 1100-O (annealed) commercially pure aluminium, Kaiser Aluminum Tube & Pipe Alloy 1100 Technical Data (Rev. 05/06), typical properties; specific heat from Hydro EN AW-1050A (99.5% Al) extruded-products datasheet (10/2018).
Aluminum 5052-H32: 5052-H32, Kaiser Aluminum tube & pipe typical datasheet (mechanical, CTE, melting); MIL-HDBK-5J (Poisson, density, specific heat)

1
Alloy 1100 Tube & Pipe Technical Data, Rev. 05/06Kaiser Aluminumarchived copyAluminum 1100-O · Yield strength: typical, O, 0.0625 in specimenAluminum 1100-O · Ultimate tensile strength: typical, OAluminum 1100-O · Elongation at break: typical, O, in 4DAluminum 1100-O · Young's modulus (stiffness): typicalAluminum 1100-O · Density: nominal, 20 °CAluminum 1100-O · Thermal conductivity: typical, O, 20 °CAluminum 1100-O · Thermal expansion: typical, mean 20-100 °CAluminum 1100-O · Melting point: melting range
2
Alloy 5052 Tube & Pipe Technical DataKaiser Aluminumarchived copyAluminum 5052-H32 · Yield strength: typical, 0.2% offsetAluminum 5052-H32 · Ultimate tensile strength: typicalAluminum 5052-H32 · Elongation at break: typicalAluminum 5052-H32 · Young's modulus (stiffness): typicalAluminum 5052-H32 · Thermal conductivity: base material: 5052 in O temper (same alloy, annealed); Kaiser typicalAluminum 5052-H32 · Thermal expansion: typical, mean 20-100 °CAluminum 5052-H32 · Melting point: melting range
3
MIL-HDBK-5J, Metallic Materials and Elements for Aerospace Vehicle Structures (2003)U.S. Department of DefenseAluminum 5052-H32 · Density: nominalAluminum 5052-H32 · Poisson's ratio: typical (handbook physical constant)Aluminum 5052-H32 · Specific heat: at 100 °C (212 °F); table covers O, H32, H34, H36, H38
4
Technical Datasheet, Extruded Products: Alloy EN AW-1050AHydroAluminum 1100-O · Specific heat: base material: commercially pure aluminium EN AW-1050A (Hydro), 20 °C

Each number points to the document that states it, with the exact basis. Values without a number are computed from the sourced ones. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.

Questions

Mechanical

Is Aluminum 1100-O stronger than Aluminum 5052-H32?

Aluminum 5052-H32 is stronger: its yield strength is 195 MPa against 35 MPa for Aluminum 1100-O (5.57x).

Which is lighter, Aluminum 1100-O or Aluminum 5052-H32?

Aluminum 5052-H32 is lighter: 2,685 kg/m³ against 2,710 kg/m³ for Aluminum 1100-O.

Which is stiffer, Aluminum 1100-O or Aluminum 5052-H32?

Aluminum 5052-H32 is stiffer: Young's modulus 70 GPa against 69 GPa for Aluminum 1100-O, so the same part in Aluminum 5052-H32 deflects less under the same load.

Which is lighter for the same job, Aluminum 1100-O or Aluminum 5052-H32?

For the same stiffness or strength: Aluminum 5052-H32 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate, strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.

Part that must be	Aluminum 1100-O	Aluminum 5052-H32
Stiff rod or tie (tension)	2% heavier	lighter
Stiff beam (bending)	2% heavier	lighter
Stiff panel or plate	1% heavier	lighter
Strong rod or tie	5.62x heavier	lighter
Strong beam	3.17x heavier	lighter
Strong panel or plate	2.38x heavier	lighter

For the same stiffness or strength, mass scales with density over stiffness (or strength) raised to a power set by how the part is loaded: 1 for a rod in tension, 1/2 for a beam in bending, 1/3 for a panel (the standard material-selection indices).

Which is more ductile, Aluminum 1100-O or Aluminum 5052-H32?

Aluminum 1100-O stretches further before it breaks: 35% elongation at break against 12% for Aluminum 5052-H32.

Thermal

Which conducts heat better, Aluminum 1100-O or Aluminum 5052-H32?

Aluminum 1100-O conducts heat better: 222 W/m·K against 138 W/m·K for Aluminum 5052-H32.

Which expands less with temperature?

Aluminum 1100-O expands less: 23.6 µm/m·K against 23.8 µm/m·K for Aluminum 5052-H32.