2050 Aluminum

Representative aluminum raw/semi-finished material photo; exact grade not verified

2050 Aluminum (AA 2050, UNS A92050) is a registered wrought Al–Cu–Li alloy developed for demanding aerospace structures. Its copper, lithium, silver, manganese and zirconium additions support precipitation hardening, low density and a high elastic modulus relative to conventional aluminum alloys. The alloy is especially associated with thick plate and closed-die forgings where high strength, fracture toughness, fatigue performance and stress-corrosion resistance must be balanced. Properties are strongly dependent on product form, section thickness, orientation and temper; T84 plate and T852 forgings are important supplied conditions.

Chemical Composition (wt.%)
Chemical Composition wt.%
Element	Min	Max
Silicon	—	0.08
Iron	—	0.10
Copper	3.2	3.9
Manganese	0.20	0.50
Magnesium	0.20	0.60
Chromium	—	0.05
Nickel	—	0.05
Zinc	—	0.25
Titanium	—	0.10
Silver	0.20	0.70
Gallium	—	0.05
Lithium	0.7	1.3
Vanadium	—	0.05
Zirconium	0.06	0.14
Other elements, each	—	0.05
Other elements, total	—	0.15
Aluminum	Remainder

Composition notes

Silicon: Maximum
Iron: Maximum
Chromium: Maximum
Nickel: Maximum
Zinc: Maximum
Titanium: Maximum
Gallium: Maximum
Vanadium: Maximum
Other elements, each: Maximum
Other elements, total: Maximum

Registered wrought-alloy chemical-composition limits, in weight percent, from the Aluminum Association. “Balance” denotes aluminum remainder. The listed individual and total limits apply to unspecified other elements; only composition limits identical to the registered record apply to the 2050 designation.

Values below are nominal density from the Aluminum Association and supplier-reported typical or minimum values for 2050 T852 closed-die forgings. They are not universal design minimums for all 2050 product forms or tempers.

Use the button to switch between Metric and US Customary units.

Table of 2050 Aluminum Properties

Table of 2050 Aluminum Properties
Physical Properties	Metric
Density (nominal)	2.70 g/cm³2.70 g/cm³
Density (T852 forging)	2.71 g/cm³
Mechanical Properties	Metric
Tensile Modulus of Elasticity (T852 forging)	76.1 × 10³ N/mm²
Tensile Strength (T852 closed-die forging)	>490 N/mm²
0.2% Proof Strength (T852 closed-die forging)	>441 N/mm²
Elongation (T852 closed-die forging)	>4 %
Plane-Strain Fracture Toughness, K1c (T852 closed-die forging)	>22 MPa·√m

Test conditions & data notes

Density (nominal): Calculated nominal density for active wrought alloy 2050
Density (T852 forging): Supplier-reported physical property
Tensile Modulus of Elasticity (T852 forging): At 20 °C; supplier-reported value
Tensile Strength (T852 closed-die forging): Longitudinal tensile test at room temperature; thickness up to 250 mm
0.2% Proof Strength (T852 closed-die forging): Longitudinal tensile test at room temperature; thickness up to 250 mm
Elongation (T852 closed-die forging): 5d gauge length; longitudinal tensile test at room temperature; thickness up to 250 mm
Plane-Strain Fracture Toughness, K1c (T852 closed-die forging): L–T direction; thickness up to 250 mm

Material Conditions & Tempers

2050 obtains its structural strength principally through solution treatment, quenching, controlled deformation where required, and artificial aging. Procurement must specify the product form, thickness range, orientation and temper because these variables materially affect guaranteed properties.

Condition	Tensile Strength	Yield / Proof Strength	Notes
T84			A solution-heat-treated, cold-worked and artificially aged condition widely used for 2050 plate. Controlled deformation before aging helps develop a consistent precipitation-hardening response. No universal strength value is given here; plate properties depend on thickness and test orientation.
T852	>490 N/mm²	>441 N/mm²	A solution-heat-treated, stress-relieved by compressing and artificially aged condition used for closed-die forgings and thick structural parts. Supplier-reported longitudinal minimum values apply to forgings up to 250 mm thickness at room temperature.

Advantages & Limitations

Advantages	Limitations
Lithium reduces density while increasing elastic modulus, supporting stiffness- and mass-efficient structural design. Copper, lithium and silver enable a high-strength precipitation-hardened condition rather than relying on cold work alone. The alloy is designed for a useful balance of strength, fracture toughness, fatigue performance and stress-corrosion resistance in aerospace structures. Good hardenability makes 2050 suitable for very thick forged sections; the cited supplier describes use up to 250 mm. Compared with conventional high-strength aluminum products, 2050 can offer a lower-density option for damage-tolerant primary and secondary structure.	Lithium-bearing aerospace alloy production, storage and processing are more specialized and generally more costly than for conventional 2xxx or 7xxx alloys. Mechanical properties vary with temper, thickness and grain orientation; design allowables must come from the applicable product specification, not generic alloy data. As a high-copper 2xxx alloy, 2050 is not normally selected for unprotected, highly corrosive service without an appropriate corrosion-control system. Welding can disrupt the precipitation-hardened microstructure and reduce strength in and around the heat-affected zone; welded structural use requires procedure-specific qualification. Forming is best planned around the heat-treatment route, since peak-aged conditions have limited formability compared with solution-treated material.

Advantages

Limitations

Lithium reduces density while increasing elastic modulus, supporting stiffness- and mass-efficient structural design.
Copper, lithium and silver enable a high-strength precipitation-hardened condition rather than relying on cold work alone.
The alloy is designed for a useful balance of strength, fracture toughness, fatigue performance and stress-corrosion resistance in aerospace structures.
Good hardenability makes 2050 suitable for very thick forged sections; the cited supplier describes use up to 250 mm.
Compared with conventional high-strength aluminum products, 2050 can offer a lower-density option for damage-tolerant primary and secondary structure.

Lithium-bearing aerospace alloy production, storage and processing are more specialized and generally more costly than for conventional 2xxx or 7xxx alloys.
Mechanical properties vary with temper, thickness and grain orientation; design allowables must come from the applicable product specification, not generic alloy data.
As a high-copper 2xxx alloy, 2050 is not normally selected for unprotected, highly corrosive service without an appropriate corrosion-control system.
Welding can disrupt the precipitation-hardened microstructure and reduce strength in and around the heat-affected zone; welded structural use requires procedure-specific qualification.
Forming is best planned around the heat-treatment route, since peak-aged conditions have limited formability compared with solution-treated material.

Processing & Fabrication

Process	Description
Solution heat treatment and quenching	A supplier description reports solution heat treatment at approximately 525 °C followed by water quenching. This establishes a supersaturated solid solution before controlled deformation and aging; production practice must follow the applicable product specification.
Artificial aging	Artificial aging at around 150 °C for several hours is reported for 2050. Time and temperature should be qualified for the product form and required temper rather than selected from a generic schedule.
Stress relief and aging for T852	For T852 forgings, compression stress relief follows solution treatment and is followed by artificial aging. This route is useful for thick closed-die forgings where dimensional stability and residual-stress control matter.
Machining	Machine after the required heat treatment using rigid fixturing and appropriate coolant. For high-value aerospace parts, account for orientation, residual stress, distortion control and inspection requirements.
Joining and corrosion protection	Where joining is required, assess welding procedure effects on the heat-treated condition. Aerospace assemblies commonly rely on qualified mechanical fastening and specified protective finishing systems when corrosion exposure is expected.

Applications

2050 is directed primarily at aerospace structures that benefit from lower density and higher stiffness while retaining a strong damage-tolerance balance. It is particularly relevant where section thickness and fatigue loading make conventional high-strength aluminum selection challenging.

Closed-die aerospace forgings: T852 2050 is documented for closed-die forgings, including thick sections, where strength, toughness and stress-corrosion resistance are required together.
Thick structural fittings and frames: Good hardenability and the ability to develop useful properties in substantial section thickness support highly loaded structural components.
Aircraft plate substructures: T84 plate is associated with the alloy; its low-density, high-stiffness Al–Li chemistry is valuable for weight-sensitive airframe structure.
Fatigue-critical aerospace components: The alloy was designed for structural components exposed to high fatigue stress and where resistance to crack growth and corrosion risk are important.
Spaceflight structural hardware: The combination of low density, stiffness and aerospace-oriented damage tolerance makes 2050 relevant to qualified space structural applications.

Standards & Designations

Designation	Value	Description
Aluminum Association	AA 2050	Active registered wrought aluminum-alloy designation; composition limits are listed in the Aluminum Association Teal Sheets.
UNS	A92050	UNS designation stated in the Aubert & Duval 2050 technical datasheet.
AMS	AMS4357	Referenced by the Aubert & Duval datasheet for checking applicable requirements for 2050 forging properties.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes 2050 Aluminum different from conventional 2xxx alloys?

2050 is an Al–Cu–Li alloy containing controlled silver, manganese and zirconium additions. Lithium lowers density and increases modulus, while the Cu–Li–Ag precipitation system provides high strength. It is intended for aerospace structures requiring a balance of strength, toughness and fatigue performance rather than simply maximum tensile strength.

What does 2050-T852 mean?

T852 identifies material that has been solution heat treated, stress relieved by compressing, and artificially aged. For 2050 it is an important forging temper. The cited T852 forging data apply to longitudinal testing at room temperature for sections up to 250 mm, so they should not be applied directly to plate or other product forms.

Can 2050 be specified simply as “2050 aluminum” for an aerospace part?

No. A complete purchase and design callout should identify the product form, temper, thickness or size range, applicable specification, inspection requirements and required orientation-dependent properties. These details are especially important because 2050 properties depend substantially on processing route, section thickness and grain direction.

References & Data Notes

(n.d.). Aluminum Association — International Alloy Designations and Chemical Composition Limits for Wrought Aluminum and Wrought Aluminum Alloys, Revised December 2025. https://www.aluminum.org/sites/default/files/2026-01/Teal%20Sheets%20December%202025.pdf
(n.d.). Aubert & Duval — Aluminium alloy 2050 technical datasheet. https://www.aubertduval.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2050_GB.pdf
(n.d.). Paris Saint-Denis Aéro — Aluminum 2050. https://psdaero.com/aluminum-metals-for-aerospace-applications/alloy-2050-sheet

Composition limits are registered limits in weight percent. Density in the Aluminum Association source is a calculated nominal value. The T852 forging properties are supplier-reported and should be verified against the governing procurement specification, product size and orientation before design or purchasing.