Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

This site is currently in beta, and your feedback is helping shape its ongoing development.

S&T Project ID 19085 Final Report No. ST-2021-19085-4: Analysis of 6061 Aluminum Cold Spray Material

Published by Bureau of Reclamation | Department of the Interior | Metadata Last Checked: January 06, 2026 | Last Modified: 2024-01-26T16:49:34Z
This final report is an analysis of 6061 aluminum cold spray material and its suitability for Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) purposes. Cold spray Al 6061 has significantly poorer mechanical properties compared to conventional Al 6061. While aluminum is typically a very ductile material, the cold spray process produced brittle samples with comparatively low elongation and elastic modulus. Aside from the high percentage of porosity noted in the cold spray microstructure, metallographic evaluation found similar microstructures between cold spray and conventional Al 6061, thus indicating porosity as the likely cause of poor mechanical properties. Cold spray parts produced with the current printing process (while the porosity issue remains unsolved) should not be used as substitutes for conventional Al 6061 materials in critical applications.

data.gov

An official website of the GSA's Technology Transformation Services

Looking for U.S. government information and services?
Visit USA.gov