Thermal conductivity against densityHigher and further left: spreads more heat for its weightThermal expansion against thermal conductivityLower and further right: warps less when heated
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Sources3 documents: Kaiser Aluminum, Pilkington North America, 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).
Glass
Annealed soda-lime-silica float glass, Pilkington North America Technical Bulletin ATS-129 (04/2025)
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
Technical Bulletin ATS-129: Properties of Soda-Lime Silica Float Glass (2025)Pilkington North Americaarchived copyGlass · Ultimate tensile strength: typical mean surface tensile stress at fracture (MOR), 60 s load, weathered, 50% breakage probabilityGlass · Flexural strength: mean MOR (same value as tensile)Glass · Young's modulus (stiffness): typicalGlass · Density: typicalGlass · Poisson's ratio: typicalGlass · Thermal conductivity: typical at 75 FGlass · Thermal expansion: typical, 75-575 FGlass · Specific heat: typical at 75 FGlass · Max service temperature: strain point (ASTM C336) - stress-relaxation onset, not a rated service limit
3
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 Glass?
Glass is stronger: its tensile strength is 41 MPa against yield strength 35 MPa for Aluminum 1100-O (17%).
Which is lighter, Aluminum 1100-O or Glass?
Glass is lighter: 2,500 kg/m³ against 2,710 kg/m³ for Aluminum 1100-O.
Which is stiffer, Aluminum 1100-O or Glass?
Glass is stiffer: Young's modulus 72 GPa against 69 GPa for Aluminum 1100-O, so the same part in Glass deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Aluminum 1100-O or Glass?
For the same stiffness or strength: Glass 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
Glass
Stiff rod or tie (tension)
13% heavier
lighter
Stiff beam (bending)
11% heavier
lighter
Stiff panel or plate
10% heavier
lighter
Strong rod or tie
27% heavier
lighter
Strong beam
20% heavier
lighter
Strong panel or plate
17% 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).
Thermal
Which conducts heat better, Aluminum 1100-O or Glass?
Aluminum 1100-O conducts heat better: 222 W/m·K against 0.937 W/m·K for Glass.
Which expands less with temperature?
Glass expands less: 8.3 µm/m·K against 23.6 µm/m·K for Aluminum 1100-O.