6061 vs 7075 Aluminum
Two workhorse Al alloys — when strength wins over corrosion, and how XRF tells them apart.
Key Differences
| Property | 6061 | 7075 |
|---|---|---|
| ---------- | ------ | ------ |
| Zn | Low (~0.25%) | High (~5.5%) |
| Mg | ~1% | ~2.5% |
| Cu | ~0.3% | ~1.6% |
| Strength | Medium-high | Very high |
| Corrosion | Excellent | Lower than 6061 |
Applications
6061 — general structural, marine fittings, bicycle frames.
7075 — aircraft spars, high-stress structural parts, defense.
XRF Identification
High Zn is the fingerprint for 7075. Specelex Max/Ultra measure Zn, Mg, and Cu together for aerospace incoming inspection programs.