Materials / Compare

Aluminum 5052-H32 vs. PCB Laminate FR-4

Compare Aluminum 5052-H32 vs. PCB Laminate FR-4 strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

Aluminum 5052-H32Wrought
PCB Laminate FR-4Composite
MechanicalAluminum 5052-H32PCB Laminate FR-4
Yield strength195MPa1not given (tensile used)
Ultimate tensile strength230MPa1246–385MPa2
Flexural strengthnot sourced531–621MPa2
Elongation at break12%1not sourced
Young's modulus (stiffness)70GPa121.9–25.8GPa2
Density2,685kg/m³31,920kg/m³440% lighter
Strength to weight72.6kN·m/kg164kN·m/kg2.26x higher
Stiffness to weight26.1MN·m/kg2.1x higher12.4MN·m/kg
Poisson's ratio0.3330.171–0.1772
Shear modulus26.3GPa2.59x stiffer in shear10.2GPa
Bulk modulus68.6GPa5.63x higher12.2GPa
Speed of sound5,106m/s45% faster3,525m/s
1k10k0.1110100Density (kg/m³)Young's modulus (GPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonWoodAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110Copper C10100Copper C12200GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 303Stainless Steel 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VBrass C260Nickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic POM/AcetalPlastic Nylon PA6Plastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM PAHT-CFFDM HIPSSLA Resin StandardSLA Resin Tough 2000SLS PA12 NylonDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelConcreteSiliconCeramic Alumina 96%Ceramic Aluminum NitrideAluminum A380Aluminum 6063-T6Aluminum 1100-OAluminum 3003-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic PPS GF40Plastic LCP GF30Aluminum 5052-H32PCB Laminate FR-4
Stiffness against densityHigher and further left: stiffer for its weight
1k10k101001kDensity (kg/m³)Yield strength (MPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonRubberWoodAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110Copper C10100Copper C12200GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 303Stainless Steel 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VBrass C260Nickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic POM/AcetalPlastic Nylon PA6Plastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic PTFEPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM PAHT-CFFDM HIPSSLA Resin StandardSLA Resin Tough 2000SLA Resin Elastic 50ASLS PA12 NylonDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelBrickSiliconCeramic Alumina 96%Aluminum A380Aluminum 6063-T6Aluminum 1100-OAluminum 3003-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic PPS GF40Plastic LCP GF30Aluminum 5052-H32PCB Laminate FR-4
Strength against densityHigher and further left: stronger for its weight
ThermalAluminum 5052-H32PCB Laminate FR-4
Thermal conductivitybase material138W/m·K1345x more heat through a fin0.4W/m·K2
Thermal expansion23.8µm/m·K113–14µm/m·K2
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing119µm growth67.5µm growth1.76x less
Specific heatat 100 °C963J/kg·K31,200–1,400J/kg·K4
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)53.4mm²/s333x faster0.16mm²/s
Thermal shock resistance10,822W/m33.5x more resistant324W/m
Melting pointmelting range605–650°C1not sourced
Glass transitionnot sourced180°C2
Max service temperaturenot sourced130°C2
1k10k0.1110100Density (kg/m³)Thermal conductivity (W/m·K)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic NylonRubberWoodAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110Copper C10100Copper C12200GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 303Stainless Steel 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VBrass C260Nickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic POM/AcetalPlastic Nylon PA6Plastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic PTFEPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM HIPSSLA Resin StandardDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelConcreteBrickSiliconCeramic Alumina 96%Ceramic Aluminum NitrideAluminum A380Aluminum 6063-T6Aluminum 1100-OAluminum 3003-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic PPS GF40Plastic LCP GF30Aluminum 5052-H32PCB Laminate FR-4
Thermal conductivity against densityHigher and further left: spreads more heat for its weight
0.111010010100Thermal conductivity (W/m·K)Thermal expansion (µm/m·K)Plastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic NylonWoodAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110Copper C10100Copper C12200GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 303Stainless Steel 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VBrass C260Nickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic POM/AcetalPlastic Nylon PA6Plastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic PTFEPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM HIPSSLA Resin StandardDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelConcreteBrickPlywoodSiliconCeramic Alumina 96%Ceramic Aluminum NitrideAluminum A380Aluminum 6063-T6Aluminum 1100-OAluminum 3003-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic PPS GF40Plastic LCP GF30Aluminum 5052-H32PCB Laminate FR-4
Thermal expansion against thermal conductivityLower and further right: warps less when heated
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Sources4 documents: Kaiser Aluminum, Isola, U.S. Department of Defense, Park Electrochemical (Nelco)
Aluminum 5052-H32
5052-H32, Kaiser Aluminum tube & pipe typical datasheet (mechanical, CTE, melting); MIL-HDBK-5J (Poisson, density, specific heat)
PCB Laminate FR-4
Isola 370HR FR-4 laminate (Polyclad PCL-FR-370HR, 180 C Tg multifunctional epoxy, E-glass fabric), copper removed; Isola data sheet Revision C, last updated April 15, 2021. Woven-glass laminate: the sheet gives in-plane values per weave direction (length / cross) and the Z-axis CTE separately; the solver is isotropic per material.
  1. 1
    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
  2. 2
    370HR Laminate and Prepreg Data SheetIsolaarchived copyPCB Laminate FR-4 · Ultimate tensile strength: typical, in-plane: cross direction .. length direction (ASTM D3039)PCB Laminate FR-4 · Flexural strength: typical: cross direction .. length direction (IPC-TM-650 2.4.4B)PCB Laminate FR-4 · Young's modulus (stiffness): typical, in-plane: cross direction .. length direction (ASTM D790-15e2)PCB Laminate FR-4 · Poisson's ratio: typical, in-plane: cross direction .. length directionPCB Laminate FR-4 · Thermal conductivity: typical (ASTM E1952); direction not stated by the sheetPCB Laminate FR-4 · Thermal expansion: typical, in-plane X/Y-axis, below Tg (IPC-TM-650 2.4.24C)PCB Laminate FR-4 · Glass transition: typical, DSC (IPC-TM-650 2.4.25C)PCB Laminate FR-4 · Max service temperature: UL Relative Thermal Index (UL 796)
  3. 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. 4
    N4000-6 Laminate Data Sheet (2006)Park Electrochemical (Nelco)archived copyPCB Laminate FR-4 · Density: typical, 50% resin content; another FR-4 producer: Park Nelco N4000-6 (high-Tg multifunctional epoxy), not Isola 370HRPCB Laminate FR-4 · Specific heat: typical (ASTM E1461); another FR-4 producer: Park Nelco N4000-6 (high-Tg multifunctional epoxy), not Isola 370HR

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 5052-H32 stronger than PCB Laminate FR-4?

PCB Laminate FR-4 is stronger: its tensile strength is 315 MPa against yield strength 195 MPa for Aluminum 5052-H32 (1.62x).

Which is lighter, Aluminum 5052-H32 or PCB Laminate FR-4?

PCB Laminate FR-4 is lighter: 1,920 kg/m³ against 2,685 kg/m³ for Aluminum 5052-H32.

Which is stiffer, Aluminum 5052-H32 or PCB Laminate FR-4?

Aluminum 5052-H32 is stiffer: Young's modulus 70 GPa against 23.9 GPa for PCB Laminate FR-4, so the same part in Aluminum 5052-H32 deflects less under the same load.

Which is lighter for the same job, Aluminum 5052-H32 or PCB Laminate FR-4?

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; PCB Laminate FR-4 is lighter for a strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.

Part that must beAluminum 5052-H32PCB Laminate FR-4
Stiff rod or tie (tension)lighter2.1x heavier
Stiff beam (bending)lighter22% heavier
Stiff panel or platelighter2% heavier
Strong rod or tie2.26x heavierlighter
Strong beam1.93x heavierlighter
Strong panel or plate1.78x heavierlighter

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 5052-H32 or PCB Laminate FR-4?

Aluminum 5052-H32 conducts heat better: 138 W/m·K against 0.4 W/m·K for PCB Laminate FR-4.

Which expands less with temperature?

PCB Laminate FR-4 expands less: 13.5 µm/m·K against 23.8 µm/m·K for Aluminum 5052-H32.

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