What is the difference between 7150 and 7075 aluminum?

7150 is more suitable for high-performance applications that require higher strength and corrosion resistance, while 7075 is popular in standard applications where high strength is required.

Both 7150 and 7075 aluminum alloys belong to the category of high-strength aerospace alloys and are widely used in the aerospace industry, particularly in structural components that need to withstand high loads. Although they share many similarities in terms of strength and corrosion resistance, there are some significant differences between them.

Strength: 7150 has 10%-15% higher strength than 7075, making it suitable for structures that require higher strength.
Fracture toughness: 7150 has higher fracture toughness than 7075, making it better at resisting crack propagation.
Corrosion resistance: 7150 performs better in terms of corrosion resistance, especially with regards to stress corrosion cracking (SCC), where it outperforms 7075.
Fatigue resistance: 7150 also has superior fatigue resistance compared to 7075, making it suitable for applications subjected to high-strength, repeated loading.

7150 vs. 7075 Aluminum Alloys Composition

7075 aluminum alloy: The main alloying elements are zinc (Zn), magnesium (Mg), and copper (Cu), with zinc being the most important strengthening element. Its chemical composition is relatively stable, and it is widely used in aerospace and aviation industries.
7150 aluminum alloy: 7150 is an improved version of 7050, with primary alloying elements of zinc and magnesium, and relatively low copper content. Compared to 7075, 7150 has enhancements in certain properties, especially in corrosion resistance and crack propagation resistance.

7150 vs. 7075 Aluminum Alloys Strength

7075 aluminum alloy: 7075 is recognized for having one of the highest strengths among aluminum alloys. In the T6 temper, its yield strength and tensile strength are very high, making it suitable for applications requiring extreme strength.
7150 aluminum alloy: 7150-T65 has 10% to 15% higher strength than 7075. While the difference in strength is not huge, 7150 performs better in situations that demand extremely high strength, particularly in the T65 temper, where its higher tensile strength and yield strength make it more advantageous in certain applications.

7150 vs. 7075 Aluminum Alloys Fracture Toughness

7075 aluminum alloy: 7075 has good fracture toughness, but at high strength levels, its toughness is relatively lower. Especially at low temperatures, it may show poor ductility.
7150 aluminum alloy: 7150 has about 10% higher fracture toughness than 7075, meaning it is better able to resist crack propagation under high-stress conditions, increasing its fatigue resistance and crack propagation resistance.

7150 vs. 7075 Aluminum Alloys Corrosion Resistance

7075 aluminum alloy: 7075 has relatively poor corrosion resistance, especially in high-chloride environments (such as marine environments), where it may suffer from stress corrosion cracking (SCC).
7150 aluminum alloy: 7150 has better corrosion resistance than 7075, particularly with regards to resistance to stress corrosion cracking (SCC). This makes 7150 suitable for environments where high corrosion resistance is required, particularly in humid or saline environments.

7150 vs. 7075 Aluminum Alloys Fatigue Resistance

7075 aluminum alloy: 7075 has excellent fatigue resistance, but under extreme working conditions (such as high-stress cycling), it may not perform as well as 7150.
7150 aluminum alloy: 7150 has superior fatigue resistance compared to 7075, especially in aerospace applications where repeated load cycling is required. 7150 performs better in these scenarios.

Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC) Resistance

Both alloys exhibit similar resistance to stress corrosion cracking (SCC), meaning they perform similarly in moist or corrosive environments.

7075 aluminum alloy: Although 7075 has high strength, its performance in stress corrosion cracking (SCC) is relatively poor, especially in high-strength conditions, where it may experience crack propagation due to environmental effects.
7150 aluminum alloy: 7150's SCC resistance is similar to that of 7075, and both alloys perform similarly when exposed to similar environmental conditions.

7150 vs. 7075 Aluminum Alloys Applications

7075 aluminum alloy: Widely used in aerospace, military, marine, and automotive industries for high-strength structural components, particularly those that need to withstand high mechanical loads, such as wings, landing gears, and support frames.
7150 aluminum alloy: Due to its better corrosion resistance and higher strength, 7150 is becoming increasingly popular in modern aerospace applications, especially for components that require high strength, toughness, and corrosion resistance, such as high-performance aerospace structures, naval vessels, missiles, and rockets.