Aluminium Alloys For Marine Applications
There is a wide variety of aluminium alloys for marine applications, mainly among 5000 series and 6000 series, and each alloy has its own unique properties and advantages. When selecting marine aluminium alloys, it is necessary to comprehensively consider the aluminium alloy's strength, corrosion resistance, processing performance, and cost and other factors according to the specific requirements of the ship and the use environment.
Aluminium alloys for marine applications mainly include the following types, and each alloy has its specific properties and application areas:
1. 5052 aluminium alloy:
- Composition: contains mainly aluminum and magnesium (about 2.2-2.8%).
- Properties: good corrosion resistance, good weldability and formability, moderate strength.
- Application: Commonly used in ships' hulls, hatch covers, fuel tanks and other parts.
2. 5059 aluminium alloy:
- Composition: mainly contains aluminum, magnesium (about 4.5-5.5%) and manganese.
- Properties: Excellent corrosion resistance and high strength, suitable for use in marine environments.
- Applications: Suitable for high-strength marine structural components, especially in harsh environments.
3. 5083 aluminium alloy:
- Composition: contains mainly aluminum and magnesium (about 4.0-4.9%), a small amount of manganese and chromium.
- Properties: Excellent corrosion resistance and good welding performance, strength higher than marine grade aluminum 5052.
- Applications: Widely used in hulls, decks and other load-bearing structures of ships.
4. 5086 aluminium alloy:
- Composition: mainly contains aluminum and magnesium (about 3.5-4.5%), a small amount of manganese.
- Properties: good corrosion resistance and medium strength, good welding performance.
- Application: Commonly used in the structural parts of ships, cabins and side panels, etc..
5. 6061 aluminium alloy:
- Composition: mainly contains aluminum, magnesium (about 0.8-1.2%) and silicon (about 0.4-0.8%).
- Properties: Has good mechanical properties, welding properties and corrosion resistance, high strength.
- Applications: Although alloy 6061 is not as widely used in the marine field as marine grade aluminium 5083 and 5052, it is also commonly used in frames, hatches, and other non-load-bearing parts of ships.
To summarize, 5083 and 5086 are the most commonly used aluminium alloys for marine application environments due to their excellent corrosion resistance and strength. While 5052 and 5059 also have their importance in specific applications, 6061 is more commonly used for other structural components. Choosing the right aluminum alloy depends on the specific application requirements and environmental conditions.