2017 T451 Aluminum
2017-T451 aluminum is the form of 2017 aluminum alloy in the T451 temper. To achieve this temper, the aluminum first undergoes a solution heat treatment, which typically involves heating the material to an appropriate temperature to allow the alloying elements to dissolve into the matrix. Next, the aluminum undergoes a stress relief process, where the metal is stretched by a certain amount. The degree of stretching varies depending on the type of forged product (such as sheet, plate, bar, or forging) and is designed to reduce internal stresses that may develop during casting and processing. Finally, the material is naturally aged to promote precipitation hardening of the alloying elements, enhancing the material’s strength and stability.
The T451 temper of 2017 aluminum alloy, due to the moderate stretching and natural aging treatment, ensures high strength while maintaining good dimensional stability and toughness. This makes it particularly suitable for aerospace and other high-strength demanding applications.
2017 T451 Aluminum Material Property Data Sheet
| Physical Properties | Metric | English | Comments |
| Density | 2.79 g/cc | 0.101 lb/in³ | AA; Typical |
| 2017 T451 Aluminum Mechanical Properties | |||
| Hardness, Brinell | 105 | 105 | AA; Typical; 500 g load; 10 mm ball |
| Hardness, Knoop | 132 | 132 | Converted from Brinell Hardness Value |
| Hardness, Rockwell A | 42.5 | 42.5 | Converted from Brinell Hardness Value |
| Hardness, Rockwell B | 66 | 66 | Converted from Brinell Hardness Value |
| Hardness, Vickers | 118 | 118 | Converted from Brinell Hardness Value |
| Ultimate Tensile Strength | 427 MPa | 62000 psi | AA; Typical |
| Tensile Yield Strength | 276 MPa | 40000 psi | AA; Typical |
| Elongation at Break | 22 % | 22 % | AA; Typical; 1/2 in. (12.7 mm) Diameter |
| Modulus of Elasticity | 72.4 GPa | 10500 ksi | AA; Typical; Average of tension and compression. Compression modulus is about 2% greater than tensile modulus. |
| Poisson's Ratio | 0.33 | 0.33 | Estimated from trends in similar Al alloys. |
| Fatigue Strength | 124 MPa | 18000 psi | AA; 500,000,000 cycles completely reversed stress; RR Moore machine/specimen |
| Machinability | 70 % | 70 % | 0-100 Scale of Aluminum Alloys |
| Shear Modulus | 27 GPa | 3920 ksi | Estimated from similar Al alloys. |
| Shear Strength | 262 MPa | 38000 psi | AA; Typical |
| 2017 T451 Aluminum Electrical Properties | |||
| Electrical Resistivity | 5.15e-006 ohm-cm | 5.15e-006 ohm-cm | AA; Typical at 68°F |
| 2017 T451 Aluminum Thermal Properties | |||
| CTE, linear 68°F | 23.6 µm/m-°C | 13.1 µin/in-°F | AA; Typical; Average over 68-212°F range. |
| CTE, linear 250°C | 25.4 µm/m-°C | 14.1 µin/in-°F | Estimated from trends in similar Al alloys. 20-300°C. |
| Specific Heat Capacity | 0.88 J/g-°C | 0.21 BTU/lb-°F | Estimated from trends in similar Al alloys. |
| Thermal Conductivity | 134 W/m-K | 930 BTU-in/hr-ft²-°F | AA; Typical at 77°F |
| Melting Point | 513 641 °C | 955 1185 °F | AA; Typical range based on typical composition for wrought products 1/4 inch thickness or greater. Eutectic melting is not eliminated by homogenization. |
| Solidus | 513 °C | 955 °F | AA; Typical |
| Liquidus | 641 °C | 1185 °F | AA; Typical |
| 2017 T451 Aluminum Processing Properties | |||
| Annealing Temperature | 338 349 °C | 640 660 °F | cold-work anneal |
| Annealing Temperature | 413 °C | 775 °F | heat treated anneal |
| Solution Temperature | 499 510 °C | 930 950 °F | |
| Aging Temperature | 22.2 °C | 72 °F | |
2017-T4 Aluminum vs. 2017-T451 Aluminum
2017-T4 aluminum and 2017-T451 aluminum are different heat treatment conditions of the same aluminum alloy. While they have the same chemical composition and many similar physical properties, their mechanical properties differ due to the different processing methods.
Elongation at fracture: The elongation of 2017-T4 (18%) is higher than that of 2017-T451 (16%).
Elasticity: Limit (specific fracture work): The value for 2017-T4 (66 MJ/m³) is higher than that for 2017-T451 (57 MJ/m³).
Elasticity: Specific (modulus of elasticity): 2017-T4 also performs better than 2017-T451 in this category, with values of 470 kJ/m³ and 450 kJ/m³, respectively.
2017-T4 Aluminum vs. 2017-T451 Aluminum Mechanical Properties
| Property | 2017-T4 Aluminum | 2017-T451 Aluminum |
| Brinell Hardness | 110 | 110 |
| Elastic Modulus (Young's, Tensile) | 10 x 10⁶ psi | 10 x 10⁶ psi |
| Elongation at Break (%) | 18 | 16 |
| Fatigue Strength | 18 x 10³ psi | 18 x 10³ psi |
| Poisson's Ratio | 0.33 | 0.33 |
| Shear Modulus | 3.9 x 10⁶ psi | 3.9 x 10⁶ psi |
| Shear Strength | 38 x 10³ psi | 38 x 10³ psi |
| Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS) | 61 x 10³ psi | 61 x 10³ psi |
| Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof) | 37 x 10³ psi | 37 x 10³ psi |
2017-T4 Aluminum vs. 2017-T451 Aluminum Thermal Properties
| Property | 2017-T4 Aluminum | 2017-T451 Aluminum |
| Latent Heat of Fusion (J/g) | 390 | 390 |
| Maximum Temperature: Mechanical (°F) | 380 | 380 |
| Melting Completion (Liquidus) (°F) | 1180 | 1180 |
| Melting Onset (Solidus) (°F) | 950 | 950 |
| Specific Heat Capacity (BTU/lb-°F) | 0.21 | 0.21 |
| Thermal Conductivity (BTU/h-ft-°F) | 86 | 86 |
| Thermal Expansion (µm/m-K) | 24 | 24 |
2017-T4 Aluminum vs. 2017-T451 Aluminum Electrical Properties
| Property | 2017-T4 Aluminum | 2017-T451 Aluminum |
| Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume (% IACS) | 38 | 38 |
| Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific) (% IACS) | 110 | 110 |
2017-T4 Aluminum vs. 2017-T451 Aluminum Otherwise Unclassified Properties
| Property | 2017-T4 Aluminum | 2017-T451 Aluminum |
| Base Metal Price (% relative) | 10 | 10 |
| Density (lb/ft³) | 190 | 190 |
| Embodied Carbon (kg CO₂/kg material) | 8.0 | 8.0 |
| Embodied Energy (x 10³ BTU/lb) | 64 | 64 |
| Embodied Water (gal/lb) | 140 | 140 |
2017-T4 Aluminum vs. 2017-T451 Aluminum Common Calculations
| Property | 2017-T4 Aluminum | 2017-T451 Aluminum |
| Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work) (MJ/m³) | 66 | 57 |
| Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience) (kJ/m³) | 470 | 450 |
| Stiffness to Weight: Axial (points) | 13 | 13 |
| Stiffness to Weight: Bending (points) | 46 | 46 |
| Strength to Weight: Axial (points) | 39 | 39 |
| Strength to Weight: Bending (points) | 42 | 42 |
| Thermal Diffusivity (mm²/s) | 56 | 56 |
| Thermal Shock Resistance (points) | 18 | 18 |