2024 Aluminum vs 6061: Comparison Guide

Aluminum alloys are divided into several grades, depending upon their alloying element composition and heat treatment processes. So, choosing an alloy for a particular application is not as simple. By reading this article you will be able to effectively choose between Aluminum 2024 and 6061 based on their physical, chemical and thermal properties aligning with the application. A thorough comparison between the properties of the most commercially used aluminum alloys is done.

What is 2024 Aluminum?

Copper and magnesium are the main alloying elements in 2024 aluminum alloys as they are the part of 2xxx series. High percentage composition of copper provides you with high strength, but subsides the corrosion resistance. Corrosion problem is catered in industry through the process of cladding.

2024 alloy is heat treatable which give you increased strength. It has relatively higher density of 2.78 g/cm³ as compared to pure aluminum that is 2.70 g/cm³.Its strength outweighs its poor corrosion resistance and weldability. Its high strength makes it useful in aviation, automobiles, structural and engine parts.

al 2024 composition

Aluminum 2024 has the following composition

Aluminum 2024 T3

T3 tempering makes 2024 aluminum smooth and machinable without reducing its strength. It is completed first by solution treatment, followed by cold working, and then finally naturally aging to form stable precipitates.

T3 temper 2024 sheet offers 483 MPa ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and 345 MPa yield strength and it also gives higher elongation of 10–15%. Based on its properties, it is used in aircraft structural components, missile parts, clocks, computers, hydraulic valve and rectifier parts.

Aluminum 2024 T4

T4-tempered 2024 aluminum. This tempering is carried out in two steps which are; solution heat-treating and natural ageing. It gives you tensile strength of about 469 MPa and yield strength of 324 MPa. It has lesser strength as compared to 2024 T3 aluminum but the elongation is 20%, which is higher than 2024 T3 and 6061 alloys.

What is Aluminum 6061

6061 alloy is the cheapest and most commonly used aluminum alloy. It has good weldability and corrosion resistance. It is also well known for its excellent machinability. Being a part of 6xxx series it has higher content of silicon and magnesium as alloying elements. The density of 6061 aluminum is 2.7 g/cm³.

Heat treatment of 6061 alloy can make it stronger. So, it can be used in moderate-high strength application.

6061 aluminum alloy composition

Aluminum 6061 T651

Aluminum 6061 T651 tempering consists of three steps. First, solution heat treating the alloy, followed by stress relieving treatment and then the alloy is artificially aged. In the stress relieving step, the amount of stretching the metal based on which of the following wrought product is required e.g., plate, sheet or forging.

The yield strength and tensile strength are increased to a value of 276 MPa and 310 MPa respectively after stress relieving and artificial aging.

What is the Difference Between 6061 and 2024 Aluminum?

There is no doubt that 2024 and 6061 are the two most frequently used aluminum alloys. This article will give you an idea where these alloys excel and you will be able to select the superior alloy according to the required specific application.

Hardness

Resistance to indentation and deformation is considered as hardness. A material with high hardness value has good surface quality. Comparison between the hardness of 6061 and 2024 alloys is given in the property chart below. Both 6061 and 2024 alloys are ductile and resist minor forces without deforming. 6061 has low Brinell hardness number as compared to 2024 aluminum alloy which makes it ideal for machinability as it does not harm machine tools. On the other hand, 2024 higher hardness number allows it to be used in aircraft. It resists flying debris like dirt and rain.

Machinability

Machinability describes the ability of an alloy to be used in processes like drilling, cutting and grinding. Machinability of an alloy depends upon the properties such as strength, hardness and ductility. 6061 aluminum alloy is more machinable as compared to 2024 alloy due to lower strength and flexibility. To be used in sheets and plates 2024 is preferred.

Yield Strength

The Yield Strength of a material is the ratio of stress to strain in a stress-strain diagram at a point where a material undergoes a change in deformation from elastic deformation to plastic deformation.6061 has lower yield strength which is 276 MPa as compared to 2024 which has 324 MPa.

Tensile strength

Maximum stress 6061 aluminum can withstand under axial loading before fracturing is 310 MPa and which is much lower than 2024 that is 483 MPa.

Density

2024 alloys are heavier than that of other Aluminum series. Their density is about 2.78 g/cm³ higher as compared to pure aluminum and 6061 alloys (2.70 g/cm³).

Heat treatable

2024 and 6061 aluminum alloys are both heat treatable. They are given different tempering grades such as T3, T4 and T651 on the basis of different heating temperatures, time and aging parameters.

Elastic Modulus

2024 aluminum is more elastic than 6061 aluminums which makes 2024 aluminum superior for shaping because it is less likely to crack or fracture when bent or extruded.  High elastic modulus material can withstand more stress without undergoing permanent deformation. On the other hand, low modulus materials are inelastic.

Thermal conductivity

6061 aluminum alloy has higher melting point and heat capacity than 2024 alloy. The comparison between the thermal conductivity of 2024 and 6061 can be observed in property chart table below.[2]

Corrosion Potential

The corrosion potential, tells you the tendency of a metal to corrode. In polarization curves, it is represented as the point where the current density is zero. 2024 alloy has a corrosion potential that is more negative, so is more vulnerable to corrosion. It lies closer to the region where the transition from active corrosion to passive corrosion occurs as compared to 6061 aluminum alloy.

Extruded

Aluminum alloy extrudability is influenced by a number of variables, including the alloy composition, microstructure, and mechanical characteristics. 6061 aluminum alloys are mostly utilized in applications which require extrusion processes. It can be easily shaped and formed into complex profiles during the extrusion process because it has good flow characteristics, allowing it to pass through the extrusion die with relative ease, resulting in consistent and precise shapes.

A high copper content (about 4.4%) in aluminum alloy 2024 improves strength but has a detrimental impact on extrudability. During the extrusion process, the presence of copper causes the development of copper-rich precipitates, which reduces plasticity and increases the fracture susceptibility.

Weldable

6061 has good weldability can easily be welded with various techniques such as TIG, MIG and resistance welding. On the other hand, 2024 has poor weldability, welding is only effective in case of friction welding technique.

Chart of physical properties

Cost

Cost of aluminum 2024 alloy is about 4.8$-5.6$ per kg whereas 6061 aluminum alloy has lower price of 1.8$-3$ per kg.

2024 is more expensive than 6061 alloy due to the factors of composition, manufacturing processes and market demand. 2024 contains expensive alloying elements. 2024 involves special heat treatment processes. Solution heat treatment is done at higher temperature as compared to 6061. The demand of 2024 in such industries has great influence on the price. Whereas aluminum alloy 6061 is more widely used in general-purpose applications, which leads to a lower price due to greater competition and availability.

2024 vs 6061 Aluminum Uses

6061 aluminum alloys

6061 aluminum alloys can be heat treated. These alloys have optimum fatigue strength and are characterized as alloys with superior welding performance and a high value of corrosion resistance. Cold working of this alloy is also feasible. Based on the previous mentioned characteristics can be used in variety of general-purpose applications. They can be used in furniture, bicycles, boats etc.

It also has heavy structural usage

1. Railway lines
2. Commercial and military bridges
3. Marine applications like motorboats
4. Construction Industry (towers)
5. Engineering boilers
6. Aircrafts components
7. Rivets

2024 aluminum alloys

2024 is a popular aluminum alloy that is used in a variety of applications, including the building of commercial airplanes and the production of a wide range of consumer goods. Due to high strength and fatigue resistance 2024 aluminum alloy is popular in aerospace industry. Where low weight and high strength is needed 2024 alloy is considered as one of the best options.

Following are the potential application of 2024 alloy

1. Aircraft fittings
2. Wings and fuselage
3. Automobile components
4. Hardwares

Aircraft aluminum grades

2024 and 6061 one as well as the other can be used in various parts of an aircraft structure. 6061 has as low density and medium to high strength. It also has good corrosion resistance so it can be used in extreme conditions. Parts assembly is also easy due to its good weldability.6061 aluminum is often employed in structural components such as fuselage and wings. It cannot be used in high stress bearing parts such as wing spars.

2024 alloys also have low density as relatively high strength. They also have good fatigue resistance. So, they are used in structural components which require high strength to weight ratio. Such as, wing spars, wing skins and structural fittings. Poor corrosion resistance is needed to be catered using cladding.

 In short, both 6061 and 2024 aluminum alloys are used in aerospace industries but where high strength to weight ratio is required 2024 alloy is preferred and 6061 has superior performance in applications involving high corrosion resistance, excellent weldability and good chemical strength.

Bike

6061 Aluminum alloys also has application in bicycles frames due to their good workability, machinability and weldability. 6061 alloys have low price as compared to 2024 alloys. They provide moderate strength which is suitable for bike frames.

Which is Better Aluminum 2024 or 6061

The aerospace-focused 2024 alloy is strong. Copper being its major alloying element makes it stronger. But decreases the alloy ability in welding and machining. In high-tension wing and fuselage constructions, it has low corrosion resistance.

6061 aluminum alloy contains magnesium as the main alloying element. It has medium-to-high strength but lower tensile and yield strength than 2024. It is more versatile yet weaker. It welds better, resists corrosion, and machines better than 2024 aluminum.

Aluminum extrusions

Aluminum 6061 is superior than 2024 in extrusion processes. This is due to its good machinability. So, it can be easily forced through an opening for making a desired shape [5].

Aluminum sheet

As discussed earlier in machinability 2024 aluminum alloy is more suitable for sheet and plate forming, due to its high strength and elasticity as compared to 6061 aluminum.

How to choose in machining aluminum 2024 or 6061 projects?

Selecting one from these two alloys is done on the basis of specific application. 6061 is suitable for many non-specialized applications. This alloy is a strong competitor for most aluminum projects due to its excellent characteristics, low cost, and availability. If your application requires a high-strength material, you don't need to weld or braze, and you can either use cladding or lesser corrosion resistance, alloy 2024 may work better.

Why Consult China Tuofa CNC experts

Taufa uses different manufacturing technologies in making parts precisely and swiftly. Engineers in taufa advise you choose the best process for different materials for a specific application.

Functional Prototyping

Functional prototyping facility is also available at taufa. A prototype of a material is made and is tested before starting large scale production.

High-performance Components

They have high quality standards and is ISO 9001:2015 certified. Give you services like process, design and materials. They also provide you a way for cost optimization.

Affordable Price

Services are given on affordable prices. They also leverage supply capacity in China’s large market

Low-volume Production

They also give you an opportunity to have million parts produced to a single prototype.

FAQs

Aluminum 6061 T4 vs T6

After making solution heat treatment, the process of aging is done for tempering 6061 Aluminum alloys. For T4 temper natural aging is done, unlike T4 solution is artificially aged for getting T6 temper.

2024-T3 aluminum properties

Solution is first heat treated, then cold working is done, and finally naturally aged to a substantially stable condition

Aluminum 2024 T3 vs 6061 T6

2024-T3 and 6061-T6 are aluminum alloys. Their alloy compositions are 95% similar. The properties below can give you a comparison.