2048 aluminum alloy is a high-strength alloy designed to exhibit improved fracture toughness and thermal stability at moderately elevated temperatures with only a slight decrease in mechanical properties. Under general conventional processing conditions, it will be in the T851 temper, and its fracture toughness is significantly higher than that of 2024 alloy. Toughness is improved by lowering the copper content and closely controlling composition and heat treatment to reduce the amount of second phase particles, resulting in a more uniform structure.
The solution heat treatment of forgings is 510 to 521oC, holding for at least 6 hours, and quenching in boiling water. The aging conditions of T61 are 182 to 187oC for 20 hours.
| Main composition | Cu | Mg | Mn | Al |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2048 | 3.3 | 1.5 | 0.4 | Balance |
| 2048composition (wt.%) | Min | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Cu | 2.8 | 3.8 |
| Mg | 1.2 | 1.8 |
| Mn | 0.20 | 0.60 |
| Zn | -- | 0.25 |
| Fe | -- | 0.20 |
| Si | -- | 0.15 |
| Ti | -- | 0.10 |
| Other impurities | ||
| total | -- | 0.15 |
| Al | Balance | |
Mechanical properties：
| Alloy | T.S. (MPa) | Y.S. (MPa) | Elongation (%) | Density (gcm3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2048-T851 | 455 | 415 | 8.3 | 2.75 |
Application：
2048 aluminum alloy is mainly used in plate form, such as structural parts for aerospace and weapons.
References：
- AIWT, Aerospace Structural Metals Handbook, Nonferrous Alloys, 2048Al,
- Matweb, datasheet.
