Aluminium alloy 6101 6101
Al-Mg-Si alloy, AA 6101 (EN 573-3 limits): Mg 0.35 to 0.80, Si 0.30 to 0.70, Fe up to 0.50, Cu up to 0.10, Zn up to 0.10, Mn up to 0.03, Cr up to 0.03 wt%, Al balance
Also known as UNS A96101, SAE J454, ASTM B317, AA 6101
6101 is a heat-treatable wrought Al-Mg-Si alloy (AA 6101, UNS A96101) made for electrical conductors.
Evidence level
2 of 5
Lab-measured
- 0Predicted only. No one has made it, or no measurement exists.
- 1Calculated. Only calculated or predicted values from sources.
- 2Lab-measured. Measured properties with their conditions stated.
- 3Space-relevant tests. Measured in conditions relevant to space, such as vacuum or atomic oxygen.
- 4Ground-qualified. Qualified for an application on the ground.
- 5Flown or field-proven. Flight or field results exist.
Conduct current
57 % IACS
Strength in T6
32000 psi tensile
Weight
0.097 lb/cu.in
Recipe, share of the weight
- Al not statedAluminium
- Mg not statedMagnesium
- Si not statedSilicon
- Fe not statedIron
- Cu not statedCopper
- Zn not statedZinc
- Mn not statedManganese
- Cr not statedChromium
Best for
Electrical bus-bar and power-distribution conductors where conductivity matters more than peak strength (57 % IACS in T6, per TubingChina)
Weakest at
Strength depends strongly on temper (H111 tensile 85 MPa against 32,000 psi in T6), and the 6101 sources read here partly disagree
Risk at a glance
- People Low. Dust and fume warnings
- If it fails Moderate. Lower strength in the H111 temper
- Corrosion No data. No corrosion data recorded
Quick facts: 6101
| Property | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Density | 0.097 lb/cu.in | 1 sourced value |
| Yield strength | 170 to 193 MPa | 2 sourced values across conditions |
| Tensile strength | 85 to 221 MPa | 3 sourced values across conditions |
| Melting point | 588 °C | 1 sourced value |
What is the density of Aluminium alloy 6101?
Aluminium alloy 6101 has a density of 0.097 lb/cu.in. The source and test conditions are listed in the properties table on this page.
What is the melting point of Aluminium alloy 6101?
Aluminium alloy 6101 has a melting point of 588 °C. The source and test conditions are listed in the properties table on this page.
What is the yield strength of Aluminium alloy 6101?
Aluminium alloy 6101 has a yield strength of 170 to 193 MPa. The range covers 2 sourced values across the tempers, forms and test conditions the sources report; room-temperature values are used where a source states a temperature.
What is the tensile strength of Aluminium alloy 6101?
Aluminium alloy 6101 has a tensile strength of 85 to 221 MPa. The range covers 3 sourced values across the tempers, forms and test conditions the sources report; room-temperature values are used where a source states a temperature.
What are the other names and codes for Aluminium alloy 6101?
Aluminium alloy 6101 is also written as UNS A96101, SAE J454, ASTM B317, AA 6101. Each code is printed in the source listed beside it in the designations table.
What is Aluminium alloy 6101 used for?
Uses recorded in the sources include Electrical bus-bar conductors for enclosed bus installations; Bus conductors, per the ASM Alloy Digest abstract.
Why it exists
6101 is an Al-Mg-Si alloy made for electrical conductors. In the sources read here its main feature is high electrical conductivity together with moderately high strength. The T6 temper is printed as 57 % IACS conductivity and 32,000 psi tensile strength. Righton Blackburns describes it for enclosed bus-bar conductors and for power transmission and power stations, and ASM describes it for bus conductors.
Where it's used
Bus-bar conductors and power distribution
Righton Blackburns lists electrical busbar conductor applications for enclosed bus installations, and also power transmission and power stations. ASM describes the alloy as recommended for bus conductors.
Recipe
Al-Mg-Si alloy, AA 6101 (EN 573-3 limits): Mg 0.35 to 0.80, Si 0.30 to 0.70, Fe up to 0.50, Cu up to 0.10, Zn up to 0.10, Mn up to 0.03, Cr up to 0.03 wt%, Al balance
6101 is a heat-treatable wrought aluminium alloy of the Al-Mg-Si family. Magnesium and silicon are the main alloying elements. Copper, iron, manganese, chromium and zinc are present only in small amounts. The ranges below are the EN 573-3 limits, not a measured composition.
| Ingredient | Share of the weight | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminium Al | not stated | The matrix of the alloy. |
| Magnesium Mg | not stated | A main alloying element with silicon. Its limits are printed in the EN 573-3 and ASTM B317 composition tables. |
| Silicon Si | not stated | A main alloying element with magnesium. The Wikipedia nominal row gives 0.5 wt%. |
| Iron Fe | not stated | Impurity limit printed in the EN 573-3 table. |
| Copper Cu | not stated | Impurity limit printed in the EN 573-3 table. |
| Zinc Zn | not stated | Trace limit printed in the EN 573-3 table. |
| Manganese Mn | not stated | Trace limit printed in the EN 573-3 table. |
| Chromium Cr | not stated | Trace limit printed in the EN 573-3 table. |
Weight shares are as printed in the sources.
What it can do
Conduct current
57 % IACS
measured
In T6, TubingChina gives 57 % IACS. Its body text says 56 % of copper, so treat the range as about 56 to 57 %.
Strength in T6
32000 psi tensile
measured
TubingChina prints 32,000 psi tensile and 28,000 psi yield for T6.
Weight
0.097 lb/cu.in
measured
TubingChina prints density as 0.097 lb per cubic inch and specific gravity as 2.7.
How it compares
The sources read here give 6101 its conductivity and strength for the T6 temper only. They do not compare it numerically with the other alloys on this site, so this profile claims no ranking against them.
The same measurements for each material, so you can compare them. Each row names the key condition under the value; the full conditions and methods are in the numbered notes under Technical details. Other materials are shown beside it; each was measured under its own conditions, so open its page before comparing closely. Compare every grade in the family.
| Measurement | 6101 | 6061 | 7075-T6 | 2024 | 5052 | 5XXX | 2195 (Al-Cu-Li) | Al | 1050 | 2011 | 2014 | 2017 | 2017A | 2219 | 2319 | 2618A | 3003 | 3103 | 4047 | 5019 | 5056 | 5083 | AlMg2 | AlMg3 | 6013 | 6063 | 6082 | AA7050 | AA8011 | Au-Al IMCs | Al master alloys |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thermal behavior and safety | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Melting point, 6101 | 1090 °F6 | no data | 532 °C | no data | 607.2 to 649 °C | no data | 1020 degF | 660 °C | 645 to 657 °C | 540 °C | 535 °C | 510 °C | 510 °C | 543 °C | 543 to 643 °C | 549 °C | 655 °C | 655 °C | 1068 to 1080 °F | 575 to 630 °C | 565 to 640 °C | 570 °C | 605 to 650 °C | 590 to 645 °C | 579 °C | 600 °C | 575 °C | 490 °C | 640 to 655 °C | no data | 880 °C |
| Physical and electrical | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Electrical conductivity, 6101 T6 | 57 % IACS4 | no data | no data | no data | no data | 29 % IACS | no data | no data | 58.4 % IACS | no data | no data | no data | no data | 17.4 x10^6 S/m | no data | no data | no data | no data | 41 % IACS | no data | no data | no data | 39.4 % IACS | 20 to 23 m/(Ω·mm²) | no data | no data | 42 %IACS | > 23 MS/m | 3.4×10^7 to 3.5×10^7 S/m | no data | no data |
| Density, 6101 | 0.097 lb/cu.in5 | 2.7 g/cm³ | 2.8 Mg/m3 | 2.78 g/cc | 2.68 g/cc | 2.68 g/cm³ | 0.096 lb/in3 | 2.7 g/cm³ | 2.71 g/cm³ | 2.82 g/cm³ | 2.82 g/cm³ | 2.79 g/cm³ | 2.79 g/cm³ | 2.84 g/cm³ | 2.84 g/cm³ | 2.76 g/cm³ | 2.73 g/cm³ | 2.73 g/cm³ | 2.65 g/cm³ | 2.64 g/cm³ | 2.64 g/cm³ | 2.65 g/cm³ | 2.69 g/cm³ | 2.67 g/cm³ | 2.71 g/cm³ | 2700 kg/m3 | 2.7 g/cm³ | 2.83 g/cm³ | 2.71 g/cm³ | no data | no data |
| Other measurements | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tensile strength, 6101 T6 | 32000 psi1 | 310 MPa | 572 MPa | 469 MPa | 28 ksi | 228 MPa | 80 ksi | 88 MPa | 105 to 145 MPa | 300 MPa | > 460 MPa | 427 MPa | 427 MPa | > 62 ksi | 160 MPa | 420 MPa | 110 MPa | > 140 MPa | 124 MPa | 270 to 350 MPa | 300 MPa | 275 to 350 MPa | 190 to 230 MPa | 190 to 260 MPa | 410 MPa | 27 ksi | > 300 MPa | > 483 MPa | 180 to 195 MPa | no data | no data |
| Yield strength, 6101 T6 | 28000 psi2 | 276 MPa | 503 MPa | 324 MPa | 13 ksi | 193 MPa | 74 ksi | 29 MPa | > 85 MPa | 140 MPa | > 400 MPa | 276 MPa | 276 MPa | > 50 ksi | 70 MPa | 350 MPa | 50 MPa | > 110 MPa | 55 MPa | no data | no data | > 125 MPa | > 120 MPa | > 80 MPa | 350 MPa | 21 ksi | > 255 MPa | > 414 MPa | no data | no data | no data |
| Tensile strength, 6101 H111 | 85 MPa3 | 310 MPa | 572 MPa | 469 MPa | 28 ksi | 228 MPa | 80 ksi | 88 MPa | 105 to 145 MPa | 300 MPa | > 460 MPa | 427 MPa | 427 MPa | > 62 ksi | 160 MPa | 420 MPa | 110 MPa | > 140 MPa | 124 MPa | 270 to 350 MPa | 300 MPa | 275 to 350 MPa | 190 to 230 MPa | 190 to 260 MPa | 410 MPa | 27 ksi | > 300 MPa | > 483 MPa | 180 to 195 MPa | no data | no data |
| Proof stress minimum, 6101A T6 (related grade) | > 170 MPa7 | 276 MPa | 503 MPa | 324 MPa | 13 ksi | 193 MPa | 74 ksi | 29 MPa | > 85 MPa | 140 MPa | > 400 MPa | 276 MPa | 276 MPa | > 50 ksi | 70 MPa | 350 MPa | 50 MPa | > 110 MPa | 55 MPa | no data | no data | > 125 MPa | > 120 MPa | > 80 MPa | 350 MPa | 21 ksi | > 255 MPa | > 414 MPa | no data | no data | no data |
| Tensile strength minimum, 6101A T6 (related grade) | > 200 MPa8 | 310 MPa | 572 MPa | 469 MPa | 28 ksi | 228 MPa | 80 ksi | 88 MPa | 105 to 145 MPa | 300 MPa | > 460 MPa | 427 MPa | 427 MPa | > 62 ksi | 160 MPa | 420 MPa | 110 MPa | > 140 MPa | 124 MPa | 270 to 350 MPa | 300 MPa | 275 to 350 MPa | 190 to 230 MPa | 190 to 260 MPa | 410 MPa | 27 ksi | > 300 MPa | > 483 MPa | 180 to 195 MPa | no data | no data |
| Elongation minimum, 6101A T6 (related grade) | > 8 %9 | 17 % | 11 % | 19 % | 25 % | 12 % | 8 % | 50 to 65 % | 4 to 8 % | 16 % | > 6 % | 18 % | 18 % | > 6 % | 12 % | > 5 % | 25 % | > 8 % | 12 % | > 2 % | 20 % | > 12 % | 4 to 12 % | > 12 % | 4 % | 8 % | > 9 % | > 7 % | > 1 % | no data | no data |
Why choose it, and why not
Good for
- Enclosed bus-bar conductors, where the datasheets name it for electrical power distribution.
- Parts where conductivity matters more than peak strength, per the ASM description of the alloy.
Watch out for
- Temper changes strength a great deal: H111 tensile 85 MPa against 32,000 psi in T6.
- Conductivity is printed as 57 % IACS in one table and as 56 % of copper in the body text of the same page.
- The 97 MPa tensile figure on the Righton 6101 T6 datasheet conflicts with the other values and was not used.
6101 is a bus-bar conductor alloy. The sources support its use for electrical conductors, with strength that depends strongly on temper. The sources read here are thin and partly conflict, so check a mill certificate or the EN 755 or ASTM B317 product standard before design.
Technical details
For scientists and researchers. Everything above comes from the record below: every number with its method, its conditions and its source.
Other names and standards
The same grade under other systems, as datasheets and standards print them. Each code was checked against the page it comes from.
| System | Codes |
|---|---|
| UNS | A96101 |
| SAE | J454 |
| ASTM | B317 (bar, rod, tube, pipe and profile) |
| AA | 6101 |
Notes
The method, full conditions and any caveat for the numbered rows above.
| # | Measurement | Method | Conditions | Caveat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tensile strength, 6101 T6 | Value printed under the 6101-T6 Aluminium heading on the TubingChina page (printed in psi, converted on import) | temper T6product not statedunit in source psi | — |
| 2 | Yield strength, 6101 T6 | Value printed under the 6101-T6 Aluminium heading on the TubingChina page (printed in psi, converted on import) | temper T6product not statedunit in source psi | — |
| 3 | Tensile strength, 6101 H111 | Value printed on the mfgrobots ASTM B317 Grade 6101 page, an aggregator page; the value is listed with H111 and ASTM B317 | temper H111standard ASTM B317product bar, rod, tube, pipe, profile | — |
| 4 | Electrical conductivity, 6101 T6 | Value printed in the 6101-T6 Aluminium section of the TubingChina page. The same page's body text says 56% of copper, a small conflict noted here and not resolved. | temper T6 | The same page's body text says 56 % of copper; its table says 57 % IACS. |
| 5 | Density, 6101 | Value printed on the TubingChina page in lb per cubic inch; the same page prints specific gravity 2.7 | basis Aluminium 6101 physical properties, no temper statedunit in source lb / cu. in. | — |
| 6 | Melting point, 6101 | Value printed on the TubingChina page under Aluminium 6101 Physical Properties (printed in °F, converted on import) | basis single value printed, no temper statedunit in source Deg F | — |
| 7 | Proof stress minimum, 6101A T6 (related grade) | Minimum value printed in the EN 755-2 table of the Righton Blackburns 6101A datasheet, labelled Proof Stress | grade 6101A, a related grade with its own datasheet; not the same grade number as 6101temper T6product extruded bar up to 150 mmstandard EN 755-2 | — |
| 8 | Tensile strength minimum, 6101A T6 (related grade) | Minimum value printed in the EN 755-2 table of the Righton Blackburns 6101A datasheet (printed as N/mm 2) | grade 6101A, related grade (see above)temper T6product extruded bar up to 150 mmstandard EN 755-2 | — |
| 9 | Elongation minimum, 6101A T6 (related grade) | Minimum value printed in the EN 755-2 table of the Righton Blackburns 6101A datasheet | grade 6101A, related grade (see above)temper T6product extruded bar up to 150 mmgauge length A50 mmstandard EN 755-2 | — |
Corrosion and compatibility
What happens when it meets other materials and environments.
| Environment | Concern | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| General service (no test conditions) | not rated | Righton lists good corrosion resistance for 6101, with no test conditions printed.1 |
| # | Environment | Details | Test conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General service (no test conditions) | The Righton Blackburns 6101 T6 datasheet lists good corrosion resistance among its characteristics. It gives no test environment, exposure time or rate. | basis qualitative characteristic on the datasheet onlytest none stated |
Risks and side effects
Hazards to people, what happens when a cell overheats, and how the material is handled and stored.
For people
The Hydro safety data sheet for the 6xxx series gives dust, fume and environmental warnings for processing. No health data specific to 6101 were found.
- Machining dust
- User-generated dust is easily ignited and difficult to extinguish. Inhaled fume can cause metal fume fever (Hydro SDS, 6xxx series).
- Environment
- Small chips, fine turnings and processing dust may be toxic to aquatic life, according to the same sheet.
If it fails
The failure routes found in the sources are a drop in strength in softer tempers and higher resistive loss than copper. No corrosion test for 6101 was found.
- Temper
- The H111 tensile strength is 85 MPa, against 32,000 psi tensile in T6 (TubingChina).
- Conductivity
- TubingChina gives the conductivity as 56 % of copper in its body text, so a conductor sized as for copper has more resistance.
- Corrosion
- Righton rates corrosion resistance as good, with no test result for this grade.
Handling and storage
- Dust control
- Keep machining dust and fines under control, and avoid breathing dust or fume (Hydro SDS).
- Storage
- Keep away from strong acids, strong bases and strong oxidizers, which the sheet lists as incompatible.
Test details
The original wording and numbers from the sources, for readers who want them.
Failure risks
| Failure | Trigger and consequence |
|---|---|
| Higher resistive loss than copper of the same sectionlow severity | Carrying current in a conductor sized as if it were copperThe TubingChina page gives the conductivity as 56 % of copper, so a conductor of the same section has more resistance and more heating than a copper one. |
| Lower strength in the H111 tempermoderate severity | Specifying H111 where T6 strength is neededThe H111 tensile strength is 85 MPa, against 32,000 psi tensile and 28,000 psi yield in T6, so the temper choice changes the tensile strength by more than two times. The two values come from different pages. |
Handling and storage
- Keep machining dust and fines under control. The Hydro sheet says user-generated dust is easily ignited and difficult to extinguish, and to avoid inhaling dust and fume.
- Keep the material away from strong acids, strong bases and strong oxidizers, which the sheet lists as incompatible.
Supply and geography
How common the raw materials are and where they come from.
Primary aluminium smelter production, 2025 estimate (world)
- Top producers (2025)
- China 60.8%, India 5.7%, Russia 5.3%, Canada 4.5%, United Arab Emirates 3.6%
- Recycling
- USGS: about 3.6 million tons of aluminum were recovered from purchased scrap in the United States in 2025.
- Substitutes
- USGS: copper can replace aluminum in electrical and heat-exchange applications.
Documents
Datasheets, safety data sheets, papers and standards you can open.
Full record
The complete spore, as stored. Free to reuse under CC-BY-4.0. Images keep the licence shown with each one.
Show the full YAML
spore: profile
id: aluminium-6101
spore_version: 0.2
family: aluminium-alloys
name: Aluminium alloy 6101
abbreviation: '6101'
role: electrical bus-bar conductor alloy
category: metals
type: aluminium
summary: 6101 is a heat-treatable wrought Al-Mg-Si alloy (AA 6101, UNS A96101) made for electrical conductors. TubingChina prints an electrical conductivity of 57 % IACS for the T6 temper, with a tensile strength of 32,000 psi and a yield strength of 28,000 psi in that temper. The Righton Blackburns datasheet describes it for enclosed bus-bar conductors and power distribution equipment. The density is printed as 0.097 lb per cubic inch (specific gravity 2.7) and the melting point as 1090 °F. Thermal, modulus and hardness values on the same page were left out because they had no unit printed. The Hydro datasheet, which would give a fuller property set, could not be reached.
best_for: Electrical bus-bar and power-distribution conductors where conductivity matters more than peak strength (57 % IACS in T6, per TubingChina)
weakest_at: Strength depends strongly on temper (H111 tensile 85 MPa against 32,000 psi in T6), and the 6101 sources read here partly disagree
identity:
formula: 'Al-Mg-Si alloy, AA 6101 (EN 573-3 limits): Mg 0.35 to 0.80, Si 0.30 to 0.70, Fe up to 0.50, Cu up to 0.10, Zn up to 0.10, Mn up to 0.03, Cr up to 0.03 wt%, Al balance'
cas: ''
source: righton-6101
where: Chemical composition table, EN 573-3 column, alloy 6101 (Righton Blackburns 6101 T6 datasheet, 05 August 2021). Mg and Si limits agree with the ASTM B317 composition printed on the mfgrobots page.
designations:
- system: UNS
code: A96101
source: tubingchina
where: Specifications list, UNS A96101
- system: ASTM
code: B317
note: bar, rod, tube, pipe and profile
source: mfgrobots-b317
where: Page title ASTM B317 Grade 6101 (H111) and Mechanical table
- system: SAE
code: J454
source: tubingchina
where: Specifications list, SAE J454
- system: AA
code: '6101'
source: wiki-6000-series
where: 6000 series composition table, row 6101
tags:
environments: []
stresses: []
applications:
- electronics-and-chips
properties:
- benchmark: ultimate_tensile_strength
label: Tensile strength, 6101 T6
value: 32000
unit: psi
scope: material
conditions:
temper: T6
product: not stated
unit_in_source: psi
method: Value printed under the 6101-T6 Aluminium heading on the TubingChina page (printed in psi, converted on import)
status: ground
source: tubingchina
where: 6101-T6 Aluminium section, Ultimate Tensile Strength row (psi)
- benchmark: yield_strength
label: Yield strength, 6101 T6
value: 28000
unit: psi
scope: material
conditions:
temper: T6
product: not stated
unit_in_source: psi
method: Value printed under the 6101-T6 Aluminium heading on the TubingChina page (printed in psi, converted on import)
status: ground
source: tubingchina
where: 6101-T6 Aluminium section, Yield Strength row (psi)
- benchmark: ultimate_tensile_strength
label: Tensile strength, 6101 H111
value: 85
unit: MPa
scope: material
conditions:
temper: H111
standard: ASTM B317
product: bar, rod, tube, pipe, profile
method: Value printed on the mfgrobots ASTM B317 Grade 6101 page, an aggregator page; the value is listed with H111 and ASTM B317
status: ground
source: mfgrobots-b317
where: Mechanical table, Tensile strength row (H111; ASTM B317)
- benchmark: electrical_conductivity
label: Electrical conductivity, 6101 T6
value: 57
unit: '% IACS'
scope: material
conditions:
temper: T6
method: Value printed in the 6101-T6 Aluminium section of the TubingChina page. The same page's body text says 56% of copper, a small conflict noted here and not resolved.
status: ground
note: The same page's body text says 56 % of copper; its table says 57 % IACS.
source: tubingchina
where: 6101-T6 Aluminium section, Electrical Conductivity row; Other Physical Props body text
- benchmark: density
label: Density, 6101
value: 0.097
unit: lb/cu.in
scope: material
conditions:
basis: Aluminium 6101 physical properties, no temper stated
unit_in_source: lb / cu. in.
method: Value printed on the TubingChina page in lb per cubic inch; the same page prints specific gravity 2.7
status: ground
source: tubingchina
where: Aluminium 6101 Physical Properties, Density row
- benchmark: melting_point
label: Melting point, 6101
value: 1090
unit: °F
scope: material
conditions:
basis: single value printed, no temper stated
unit_in_source: Deg F
method: Value printed on the TubingChina page under Aluminium 6101 Physical Properties (printed in °F, converted on import)
status: ground
source: tubingchina
where: Aluminium 6101 Physical Properties, Melting Point row (Deg F)
- benchmark: yield_strength
label: Proof stress minimum, 6101A T6 (related grade)
value: 170
bound: lower
unit: MPa
scope: material
conditions:
grade: 6101A, a related grade with its own datasheet; not the same grade number as 6101
temper: T6
product: extruded bar up to 150 mm
standard: EN 755-2
method: Minimum value printed in the EN 755-2 table of the Righton Blackburns 6101A datasheet, labelled Proof Stress
status: ground
source: righton-6101a
where: Mechanical properties table, 6101A, Extruded Bar Up to 150mm, Proof Stress row (170 Min MPa)
- benchmark: ultimate_tensile_strength
label: Tensile strength minimum, 6101A T6 (related grade)
value: 200
bound: lower
unit: MPa
scope: material
conditions:
grade: 6101A, related grade (see above)
temper: T6
product: extruded bar up to 150 mm
standard: EN 755-2
method: Minimum value printed in the EN 755-2 table of the Righton Blackburns 6101A datasheet (printed as N/mm 2)
status: ground
source: righton-6101a
where: Mechanical properties table, 6101A, Extruded Bar Up to 150mm, Tensile Strength row (200 Min N/mm 2)
- benchmark: elongation
label: Elongation minimum, 6101A T6 (related grade)
value: 8
bound: lower
unit: '%'
scope: material
conditions:
grade: 6101A, related grade (see above)
temper: T6
product: extruded bar up to 150 mm
gauge_length: A50 mm
standard: EN 755-2
method: Minimum value printed in the EN 755-2 table of the Righton Blackburns 6101A datasheet
status: ground
source: righton-6101a
where: Mechanical properties table, 6101A, Elongation A50 mm row (8 Min %)
corrosion:
- environment: General service (no test conditions)
headline: Righton lists good corrosion resistance for 6101, with no test conditions printed.
effect: The Righton Blackburns 6101 T6 datasheet lists good corrosion resistance among its characteristics. It gives no test environment, exposure time or rate.
rating: unknown
conditions:
basis: qualitative characteristic on the datasheet only
test: none stated
source: righton-6101
where: Characteristics list, Good corrosion resistance
risks:
hazards:
- text: Aluminium (CAS 7429-90-5, more than 89.9 %) carries the GHS classes Flam. Sol. 1 (H228) and Water-react. 2 (H261). The sheet says user-generated dust is easily ignited and difficult to extinguish. It covers the whole 6xxx series, not 6101 alone, so the classes are a family-level reading.
ghs:
- H228
- H261
source: hydro-6xxx-sds
where: Section 3 composition table, Aluminum row; Section 2 text on user-generated dust
- text: Inhaled fume can cause metal fume fever, with symptoms like influenza. The sheet also says inhaling finely divided aluminium powder may cause pulmonary fibrosis.
ghs: []
source: hydro-6xxx-sds
where: Inhalation text and Chronic Symptoms paragraph (health effects)
- text: Small chips, fine turnings and processing dust may be toxic to aquatic life, according to the same sheet.
ghs: []
source: hydro-6xxx-sds
where: Section 2 text on environmental hazards
failure_risks:
- mode: Higher resistive loss than copper of the same section
trigger: Carrying current in a conductor sized as if it were copper
consequence: The TubingChina page gives the conductivity as 56 % of copper, so a conductor of the same section has more resistance and more heating than a copper one.
severity: low
source: tubingchina
where: Other Physical Props body text
- mode: Lower strength in the H111 temper
trigger: Specifying H111 where T6 strength is needed
consequence: The H111 tensile strength is 85 MPa, against 32,000 psi tensile and 28,000 psi yield in T6, so the temper choice changes the tensile strength by more than two times. The two values come from different pages.
severity: moderate
source: mfgrobots-b317
where: Mechanical table, Tensile strength row (H111); compared with the TubingChina 6101-T6 section
side_effects: []
handling:
- text: Keep machining dust and fines under control. The Hydro sheet says user-generated dust is easily ignited and difficult to extinguish, and to avoid inhaling dust and fume.
source: hydro-6xxx-sds
where: Section 2 hazards text; precautionary text on dust and fume
- text: Keep the material away from strong acids, strong bases and strong oxidizers, which the sheet lists as incompatible.
source: hydro-6xxx-sds
where: Incompatible Materials line
mitigations: []
uses:
- application: electronics-and-chips
device: Electrical bus-bar conductors for enclosed bus installations
example: Righton Blackburns lists busbar conductor applications for enclosed bus electrical installations, and also power transmission and power stations, for its 6101 T6 bar and extrusion.
source: righton-6101
where: Applications section, 6101 T6 datasheet
- application: electronics-and-chips
device: Bus conductors, per the ASM Alloy Digest abstract
example: The ASM Alloy Digest abstract describes the alloy as recommended for applications involving maximum electrical conductivity with moderately high strength, such as bus conductors.
source: asm-al155
where: Abstract text, Alloy Digest Al-155 (the full datasheet is paywalled)
supply:
- subject: Primary aluminium smelter production, 2025 estimate (world)
producers:
- country: China
share_percent: 60.8
year: 2025
- country: India
share_percent: 5.7
year: 2025
- country: Russia
share_percent: 5.3
year: 2025
- country: Canada
share_percent: 4.5
year: 2025
- country: United Arab Emirates
share_percent: 3.6
year: 2025
critical_lists: []
recycling: 'USGS: about 3.6 million tons of aluminum were recovered from purchased scrap in the United States in 2025.'
substitutes:
- 'USGS: copper can replace aluminum in electrical and heat-exchange applications.'
source: usgs-mcs2026-aluminum
where: World Smelter Production and Capacity table, 2025e column (China 45,000, India 4,200, Russia 3,900, Canada 3,300, UAE 2,700; world total 74,000 thousand t). Shares calculated by Space Mushroom. Recycling and Substitutes sections.
documents:
- title: 'Righton Blackburns: Aluminium 6101 T6 Bar and Extrusion datasheet (05 August 2021)'
type: datasheet
url: https://www.rightonblackburns.co.uk/datasheets/view/Righton-Blackburns-Ltd_Aluminium-Alloy-6101-T6-Bar-Extrusion-Bar_356.pdf
year: 2021
- title: 'Righton Blackburns: Aluminium 6101A T6 Bar and Extrusion datasheet (05 August 2021)'
type: datasheet
url: https://www.rightonblackburns.co.uk/datasheets/view/Righton-Blackburns-Ltd_Aluminium-Alloy-6101A-T6-Bar-Extrusion-Bar_357.pdf
year: 2021
- title: 'TubingChina: 6101 aluminum properties (6101-T6 section and physical properties)'
type: database
url: https://tubingchina.com/6101-aluminum.htm
- title: 'MFG Robots: ASTM B317 Grade 6101 (H111) aluminium page'
type: database
url: https://www.mfgrobots.com/Article/material/metal/38668.html
- title: 'Wikipedia: 6000 series aluminium alloys (composition table, row 6101)'
type: database
url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6000_series_aluminium_alloy
year: 2026
- title: 'Hydro: Safety Data Sheet, Wrought Aluminum Products, 6xxx Series Alloys'
type: sds
url: https://www.hydro.com/globalassets/01-products--services/extruded-profiles/americas/ena-resources/safety-data-sheets/8-668-6xxx-series.pdf
- title: 'USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Aluminum'
type: report
url: https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-aluminum.pdf
year: 2026
- title: 'ASM Alloy Digest Al-155: Aluminum 6101 High Conductivity Aluminum Alloy (1966, paywalled)'
type: database
url: https://dl.asminternational.org/alloy-digest/article/15/5/Al-155/1375/ALUMINUM-6101High-Conductivity-Aluminum-Alloy
year: 1966
gaps:
- The full property set was not reached. The Hydro EN AW-6101A/B datasheet, the most complete source, returned 404 on both the search link and WebFetch. MakeItFrom (403), MaterialsPlus (403), OnlineMetals (403), SuppliersOnline (503) and Matmatch did not resolve or load, and the Wikipedia 6101 article does not exist (404).
- No thermal conductivity, coefficient of thermal expansion, modulus or specific heat for 6101 was recorded. TubingChina prints thermal conductivity 1200 and modulus 10 with no unit, so they were left out.
- No hardness was recorded. TubingChina prints Brinell 71 with no unit, so it was left out.
- The Righton 6101 T6 datasheet prints a tensile strength of 97 MPa with no temper. It conflicts with the 200 MPa minimum for 6101A and the 221 MPa T6 figure, so it was not used.
- 'Electrical conductivity: TubingChina gives 57 % IACS in its table and 56 % of copper in its body text. A 59 % IACS T61 listing seen only in a search snippet was not read, so it is not used. The name electrical_conductivity is not in property-canon.yaml, so that short snake_case name is used.'
- The 6101A rows are a related grade (EN AW-6101A, separate datasheet with different Mg and Cu limits). They are labelled as such. Whether 6101A and 6101 share the same mechanical values is not confirmed.
- No EN code for 6101 was printed on any page read for this grade, so no EN designation is listed.
- The hazard classes come from the Hydro SDS for the whole 6xxx series, not a 6101-specific sheet. Lead classes printed for some 6xxx alloys were not applied, because lead is not in the 6101 composition limits.
- 'Corrosion is qualitative only (Righton: good corrosion resistance). No salt-spray or other test data for 6101 was found.'
- The USGS 2026 aluminum summary text read here does not mention a critical-minerals list, so no list entry is recorded.
- The application list has no power-distribution entry, so bus-bar uses are filed under electronics-and-chips.
- No flight, space, radiation, outgassing or cryogenic record was found for 6101.
- 'Aluminium share: TubingChina prints 97.6 % and the Wikipedia 6000 series row gives a nominal 98.9 %. Both are shown in the recipe.'
sources:
righton-6101:
title: 'Righton Blackburns: Aluminium 6101 T6 Bar and Extrusion datasheet'
id: EN 573-3 composition for 6101; datasheet updated 05 August 2021
url: https://www.rightonblackburns.co.uk/datasheets/view/Righton-Blackburns-Ltd_Aluminium-Alloy-6101-T6-Bar-Extrusion-Bar_356.pdf
year: 2021
kind: datasheet
license: Supplier datasheet (cited, not reproduced)
righton-6101a:
title: 'Righton Blackburns: Aluminium 6101A T6 Bar and Extrusion datasheet'
id: EN 573-3 composition for 6101A; EN 755-2 mechanical minimums; datasheet updated 05 August 2021
url: https://www.rightonblackburns.co.uk/datasheets/view/Righton-Blackburns-Ltd_Aluminium-Alloy-6101A-T6-Bar-Extrusion-Bar_357.pdf
year: 2021
kind: datasheet
license: Supplier datasheet (cited, not reproduced)
tubingchina:
title: 'TubingChina: 6101 aluminum properties'
id: 'Specifications: ASTM B317, SAE J454, UNS A96101'
url: https://tubingchina.com/6101-aluminum.htm
kind: web
license: Supplier web page (cited, not reproduced)
mfgrobots-b317:
title: 'MFG Robots: ASTM B317 Grade 6101 (H111) aluminium'
id: ASTM B317
url: https://www.mfgrobots.com/Article/material/metal/38668.html
kind: web
license: Aggregator web page (cited, not reproduced)
wiki-6000-series:
title: 'Wikipedia: 6000 series aluminium alloys'
url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6000_series_aluminium_alloy
year: 2026
kind: web
license: CC BY-SA 4.0 (cited, not reproduced)
hydro-6xxx-sds:
title: 'Hydro Extrusion: Safety Data Sheet, Wrought Aluminum Products, 6xxx Series Alloys'
url: https://www.hydro.com/globalassets/01-products--services/extruded-profiles/americas/ena-resources/safety-data-sheets/8-668-6xxx-series.pdf
kind: datasheet
license: Manufacturer safety data sheet (cited, not reproduced)
usgs-mcs2026-aluminum:
title: 'Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Aluminum'
id: USGS MCS 2026
url: https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-aluminum.pdf
year: 2026
kind: report
license: public domain (USGS)
asm-al155:
title: 'ASM Alloy Digest Al-155: Aluminum 6101 High Conductivity Aluminum Alloy'
id: Alloy Digest Al-155, 1966 (Reynolds Metals); full text paywalled
url: https://dl.asminternational.org/alloy-digest/article/15/5/Al-155/1375/ALUMINUM-6101High-Conductivity-Aluminum-Alloy
year: 1966
kind: database
license: Paywalled database (cited, not reproduced)
license: CC-BY-4.0
updated: '2026-10-26'
review:
status: draft
method: assistant
checked_values: 9
unreachable: 6
caveats: 4
note: 'Values read by an AI assistant on 2026-10-26 from the pages named in each entry. Unreachable or blocked: Hydro 6101A/B datasheet (404), MakeItFrom (403), MaterialsPlus (403), OnlineMetals (403), SuppliersOnline (503), Matmatch (host not found). Caveats: the mechanical rows are for the related grade 6101A; the TubingChina conductivity conflicts slightly with its own body text; the 6101 T6 tensile of 97 MPa on the Righton 6101 datasheet was left out; the hazard classes are for the whole 6xxx series.'
story:
recipe:
line: 6101 is a heat-treatable wrought aluminium alloy of the Al-Mg-Si family. Magnesium and silicon are the main alloying elements. Copper, iron, manganese, chromium and zinc are present only in small amounts. The ranges below are the EN 573-3 limits, not a measured composition.
parts:
- name: Aluminium
symbol: Al
share: balance; 97.6 wt% printed by TubingChina, 98.9 wt% nominal in the Wikipedia 6000 series table
role: The matrix of the alloy.
- name: Magnesium
symbol: Mg
share: 0.35 to 0.8 wt%
role: A main alloying element with silicon. Its limits are printed in the EN 573-3 and ASTM B317 composition tables.
- name: Silicon
symbol: Si
share: 0.3 to 0.7 wt%
role: A main alloying element with magnesium. The Wikipedia nominal row gives 0.5 wt%.
- name: Iron
symbol: Fe
share: up to 0.5 wt%
role: Impurity limit printed in the EN 573-3 table.
- name: Copper
symbol: Cu
share: up to 0.1 wt%
role: Impurity limit printed in the EN 573-3 table.
- name: Zinc
symbol: Zn
share: up to 0.1 wt%
role: Trace limit printed in the EN 573-3 table.
- name: Manganese
symbol: Mn
share: up to 0.03 wt%
role: Trace limit printed in the EN 573-3 table.
- name: Chromium
symbol: Cr
share: up to 0.03 wt%
role: Trace limit printed in the EN 573-3 table.
risk_groups:
- title: For people
level: 1
verdict: Dust and fume warnings
lead: The Hydro safety data sheet for the 6xxx series gives dust, fume and environmental warnings for processing. No health data specific to 6101 were found.
points:
- label: Machining dust
line: User-generated dust is easily ignited and difficult to extinguish. Inhaled fume can cause metal fume fever (Hydro SDS, 6xxx series).
- label: Environment
line: Small chips, fine turnings and processing dust may be toxic to aquatic life, according to the same sheet.
- title: If it fails
lead: The failure routes found in the sources are a drop in strength in softer tempers and higher resistive loss than copper. No corrosion test for 6101 was found.
points:
- label: Temper
line: The H111 tensile strength is 85 MPa, against 32,000 psi tensile in T6 (TubingChina).
- label: Conductivity
line: TubingChina gives the conductivity as 56 % of copper in its body text, so a conductor sized as for copper has more resistance.
- label: Corrosion
line: Righton rates corrosion resistance as good, with no test result for this grade.
- title: Handling and storage
points:
- label: Dust control
line: Keep machining dust and fines under control, and avoid breathing dust or fume (Hydro SDS).
- label: Storage
line: Keep away from strong acids, strong bases and strong oxidizers, which the sheet lists as incompatible.
why: 6101 is an Al-Mg-Si alloy made for electrical conductors. In the sources read here its main feature is high electrical conductivity together with moderately high strength. The T6 temper is printed as 57 % IACS conductivity and 32,000 psi tensile strength. Righton Blackburns describes it for enclosed bus-bar conductors and for power transmission and power stations, and ASM describes it for bus conductors.
uses:
- where: Bus-bar conductors and power distribution
line: Righton Blackburns lists electrical busbar conductor applications for enclosed bus installations, and also power transmission and power stations. ASM describes the alloy as recommended for bus conductors.
can_do:
- label: Conduct current
value: 57 % IACS
benchmark: electrical_conductivity
line: In T6, TubingChina gives 57 % IACS. Its body text says 56 % of copper, so treat the range as about 56 to 57 %.
- label: Strength in T6
value: 32000 psi tensile
benchmark: ultimate_tensile_strength
line: TubingChina prints 32,000 psi tensile and 28,000 psi yield for T6.
- label: Weight
value: 0.097 lb/cu.in
benchmark: density
line: TubingChina prints density as 0.097 lb per cubic inch and specific gravity as 2.7.
compare: The sources read here give 6101 its conductivity and strength for the T6 temper only. They do not compare it numerically with the other alloys on this site, so this profile claims no ranking against them.
compare_rows:
- label: Density
benchmark: density
- label: Electrical conductivity
benchmark: electrical_conductivity
- label: Tensile strength
benchmark: ultimate_tensile_strength
handling:
- Specify the temper, because the H111 and T6 strengths differ by more than two times.
- Keep machining dust and fines under control. User-generated dust is easily ignited.
- Keep the alloy away from strong acids, strong bases and strong oxidizers.
good_for:
- Enclosed bus-bar conductors, where the datasheets name it for electrical power distribution.
- Parts where conductivity matters more than peak strength, per the ASM description of the alloy.
watch_out:
- 'Temper changes strength a great deal: H111 tensile 85 MPa against 32,000 psi in T6.'
- Conductivity is printed as 57 % IACS in one table and as 56 % of copper in the body text of the same page.
- The 97 MPa tensile figure on the Righton 6101 T6 datasheet conflicts with the other values and was not used.
verdict: 6101 is a bus-bar conductor alloy. The sources support its use for electrical conductors, with strength that depends strongly on temper. The sources read here are thin and partly conflict, so check a mill certificate or the EN 755 or ASTM B317 product standard before design.
References
Every number above carries a reference number. Click one to see the source and where in it the value comes from.
| # | Source | Type | Year | Used for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Righton Blackburns: Aluminium 6101 T6 Bar and Extrusion datasheet | datasheet | 2021 | 3 values | |
| Righton Blackburns: Aluminium 6101A T6 Bar and Extrusion datasheet | datasheet | 2021 | 3 values | |
| TubingChina: 6101 aluminum properties | web | 6 values | ||
| MFG Robots: ASTM B317 Grade 6101 (H111) aluminium | web | 2 values | ||
| Wikipedia: 6000 series aluminium alloys | web | 2026 | 0 values | |
| Hydro Extrusion: Safety Data Sheet, Wrought Aluminum Products, 6xxx Series Alloys | datasheet | 5 values | ||
| Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Aluminum | report | 2026 | 1 value | |
| ASM Alloy Digest Al-155: Aluminum 6101 High Conductivity Aluminum Alloy | database | 1966 | 1 value |