These three are the commercially pure aluminum grades, and buyers pick among them for two things: purity and a small copper addition. The one-line guide to 1050 vs 1060 vs 1100: 1050 and 1060 differ only by 0.1% purity; 1100 adds copper for a little strength at the cost of conductivity.
All three are in the 1xxx series, none are heat-treatable, and all form and conduct well. The differences are small on paper and matter only in specific applications — which is exactly why orders get confused between them.
The three grades side by side
| 1050 | 1060 | 1100 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum minimum | 99.50% | 99.60% | 99.00% |
| Copper | 0.05% max | 0.05% max | 0.05 – 0.20% |
| Iron + silicon | higher | lower | Si+Fe 0.95% max |
| Typical tensile (O/H14) | 76 MPa (O) | 72 MPa (O) | 130 MPa (H14) |
| Conductivity | highest of the three | highest | slightly lower |
| Formability | excellent | excellent | excellent |
| Relative cost | lowest | similar | similar |
1050 vs 1060: a purity argument
1050 guarantees 99.50% aluminum; 1060 guarantees 99.60%. That is the entire difference, and for most applications it is not a difference at all — the two behave almost identically in forming, anodizing and general sheet work.
The distinction matters only when a specification names one of them. If a drawing or standard calls out 1060, a 1050 certificate does not substitute for it on paper, even though the material is practically interchangeable on the shop floor. The rule is simple: order the grade the drawing names.
Where 1060 genuinely earns its place is foil and capacitor stock, where the half-step of purity and the tighter iron and silicon limits give a cleaner surface and more consistent electrical behaviour. 1050 is the general pure-aluminum sheet grade for busbar, heat-transfer fin and cookware blanks.
1100: the copper addition
1100 is the interesting one, because it is the only grade of the three that is deliberately alloyed — with 0.05–0.20% copper. That copper does two things:
- It makes 1100 marginally stronger than 1050 and 1060, which is why 1100 is the choice for spun holloware and parts that must hold their shape.
- It makes 1100 slightly less conductive and slightly less corrosion-resistant, which is why 1100 is a poor choice for salt-water service or where maximum conductivity matters.
The copper also dulls the anodic film a touch compared with 1050 or 1060. For bright decorative anodizing, 1050 or 1060 is the cleaner base; for protective anodizing where strength matters a little more, 1100 is fine.
How to choose
| You need | Choose |
|---|---|
| Highest conductivity, busbar, heat fin | 1050 or 1060 |
| Capacitor or critical foil | 1060 |
| Spun, drawn parts that hold shape | 1100 |
| Bright decorative anodizing | 1050 / 1060 |
| Salt or marine exposure | none — move to 5052 |
| General cheap sheet | 1050 |
The most useful single rule: none of these three is a strength grade. The O-temper yield of 1050 and 1060 is around 25 MPa — a hand bend deforms it. The moment a part has to carry any structural load, you leave the pure-aluminum family entirely and move to 3003 (a little strength) or 5052 (strength plus corrosion resistance).
What gets ordered wrong
The first error is substituting 1050 for 1060 (or vice versa) on a drawing that names one. The material is interchangeable in practice, but the certificate is not, and on a contract the certificate is what counts.
The second error is specifying 1100 for marine or coastal service. The copper addition is enough to hurt corrosion resistance in salt; 5052 handles that environment at a similar price.
The third error is expecting any of the three to be structural. They are not. A "pure aluminum" bracket is a design mistake — use 3003 or 5052.
Bottom line
1050 and 1060 are a purity distinction; 1100 is a strength tweak. For conductivity and clean anodizing, stay on 1050 or 1060 and order whichever the drawing names. For formed parts that must hold shape, 1100. For anything structural or wet, leave this family and go to 3003 or 5052.
See the 1050, 1060 and 1100 grade pages for the composition tables. If the three options still look interchangeable for your part, tell us what it conducts, forms or reflects — the answer usually sorts itself out.