ThePipingMart Blog Grades Aluminium 2048 Alloy (UNS A92048) – Composition, Properties and Uses

Aluminium 2048 Alloy (UNS A92048) – Composition, Properties and Uses

Aluminium 2048

Aluminium 2048 is an alloy that has been used in aerospace, military, and automotive industries since the late 1950s. It is a high-strength alloy and has excellent tensile strength and fatigue properties. In this blog post, we will discuss the composition, chemical properties, mechanical properties, physical properties, uses, corrosion resistance, heat resistance, heat treatment, machining, and welding of Aluminium 2048.

Composition

Al 2048 is an aluminium-copper-magnesium alloy with small amounts of silicon and manganese. It is composed of 4% copper (Cu), 0.5% magnesium (Mg), 0.3-0.7% silicon (Si), and 0.2-0.4% manganese (Mn). The remainder of the alloy is made up of aluminium (Al).

Element Content (%)
Aluminum, Al 92.9 – 95.8
Copper, Cu 2.8 – 3.8
Magnesium, Mg 1.2 – 1.8
Zinc, Zn ≤ 0.25
Manganese, Mn 0.20 – 0.60
Iron, Fe ≤ 0.20
Silicon, Si ≤ 0.15
Titanium, Ti ≤ 0.10
Remainder ≤ 0.15

Chemical Properties

Alloy 2048 has good weldability due to its low melting point and good thermal conductivity. It also has good corrosion resistance as it does not corrode easily in most environments when exposed to air or water. Additionally, it does not react easily with other metals or materials even at high temperatures.

Mechanical Properties

Grade 2048’s mechanical properties include a tensile strength range from 80-220 ksi (550 – 1520 MPa), yield strength range from 50-145 ksi (345 – 1000 MPa), elongation range from 10-18%, modulus of elasticity range from 11-15 million psi (75 – 105 GPa). It also has a fatigue limit of 45 ksi (310MPa) after heat treatment, making it suitable for applications with cyclic loading conditions such as aircraft components or automotive parts that are subjected to high stress repeatedly or over long periods of time.

Properties Metric Imperial
Tensile strength 455 MPa 66000 psi
Yield strength 415 MPa 60200 psi
Elongation at break 8.30% 8.30%
Poisson’s ratio 0.33 0.33
Elastic modulus 70 GPa 10200 ksi
Shear strength 270 MPa 39200 psi
Hardness, Brinell (@load 500 kg; thickness 10.0 mm) 122 122
Hardness, Knoop (converted from Brinell hardness value) 153 153
Hardness, Rockwell A (converted from Brinell hardness value) 47.5 47.5
Hardness, Rockwell B(converted from Brinell hardness value) 76 76
Hardness, Vickers (converted from Brinell hardness value) 139 139

Physical Properties

Aluminium 2048 has a density of 0.098 lbs/in3, making it lightweight compared to other metals but still strong enough for structural applications such as aircraft components or automotive parts due to its high tensile strength and fatigue limit after heat treatment. It also has a melting point range between 1220°F – 1360°F (660°C – 740°C).

Properties Metric Imperial
Density 2.75 g/cm³ 0.0994 lb/in³
Melting point 520 – 645 °C 968 – 1190 °F

Thermal Properties

Properties Metric Imperial
Thermal expansion co-efficient (@20-100°C/68-212°F) 23.5 µm/m°C 13.1 µin/in°F
Thermal conductivity 159 W/mK 1100 BTU in/hr.ft².°F

Uses

Aluminium 2048 is widely used in aerospace applications such as aircraft wings and fuselages due to its lightweight characteristics combined with its high strength properties after heat treatment which allows for components to be designed thinner yet still resistant to cyclic loads when compared to other alloys used in the same applications such as 2024 aluminium alloys; this reduces fuel consumption in flight operations resulting in lower operational costs for airlines overtime . Additionally, it can be found in some automotive parts such as suspension arms due to its light weight combined with its corrosion resistance allowing for longer lifetime than those made out of steel or other alloys without suffering any significant performance degradation overtime due to rusting or oxidation process that take place over time if exposed to water or other environmental elements such as snow salt during winter months..

Corrosion Resistance

Aluminium 2024 has excellent corrosion resistance when exposed to air or water thanks to its passivation layer formed on the surface by the reaction between oxygen molecules present on the atmosphere and aluminium atoms present on the alloy surface forming protective layers that prevent further oxidation processes even when exposed continuously over long periods of time..

Heat Resistance

This alloy is great at resisting extreme temperatures thanks again due its passivation layer which helps insulate against sudden changes in temperature preventing unexpected performance degradation caused by excessive thermal expansion/contraction cycles experienced during operation at extreme temperatures..

Heat Treatment

This alloy can be cold worked but should be annealed prior to machining operations for best results thanks to its low melting point; it can also be solution treated at elevated temperatures followed by an ageing process for increased strength properties..

Machining

Thanks again due its low melting point this alloy can be machined relatively easily using conventional techniques however care must be taken during operation especially if working with thin sections where minor changes could result in major performance degradation overtime.

Welding

Welding operations should only use special welding equipment specially designed for aluminum alloys like TIG/MIG welding machines following specific parameters set by specialized personnel depending on application requirements.

Conclusion

As you can see AL 2024 offers great advantages when compared against other metals primarily thanks again due its light weight combined with excellent mechanical & chemical properties making it one of most popular aluminum alloys used across different industries today; however care must always be taken during fabrication & assembly processes since minor changes could result in major performance Degradation overtime thus compromising overall part life expectancy! If properly handled however this amazing material can provide outstanding results!

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