This is without considering that aluminum is a metal that we interact with daily and to which most people do not pay much attention. From the soda cans we use in taking our beverages to the cars we use in getting around aluminum is almost omnipresent today. But there is so much more to this highly useful and almost magical metal than one can imagine. Nonetheless, the aluminum success story and its characteristics remain interesting and people use it every day.
The following are probably 10 things you never knew about aluminum and why it is ranked among the most incredible metals out there:
Fact 1
- 104 Evidence As To How It Was Once Considered More Precious Than Gold
At the beginning of the nineteenth century, its cost exceeded the price of gold and silver metals and the metal was used sparingly. Despite being the third most common element in the Earth’s crust, it was difficult to obtain pure aluminum due to weaknesses in the production process until the 1886 discovery of the Hall-Héroult process. Napoleon III of France is said to use aluminum flatware for giving to his valued guests while serving other guests, gold utensils.
Fact 2
- Aluminiumwindow design is Today One of the Most Producer Metals and the Most Widespread One
Aluminium is the third most abundant element on earth being a constituent of approximately 8% of the earth’s crust. It predominantly occurs in the form of ore bauxite from which the material is obtained. In its metallic form, aluminum is not found in nature despite its availability because of its highly reactive properties.
Fact 3
- Understanding the Power to Weight ratio: Exceptionally Lightweight however rather Strong
Aluminum is only one-third the weight of steel, but it is nearly as strong. It is inherently lightweight and at the same time extremely rigid and has therefore found application in aerospace, automobile, and construction industries. Aluminium, however, that is combined with other materials from what is known as aluminum alloys is stronger and is used in high demand.
Fact 4
- Recycled and Can Be Used 100 % of Time Without Compromising On Quality
Recyclability is another fascinating characteristic of aluminum points. A special feature of aluminum is that it can be recycled over and over again in a close cycle with no reduction in quality or strength. Recycling of aluminium only demands 5% of the energy that is used in the production of new aluminum from raw bauxite thus making it one of the most sustainable materials on the market.
Fact 5
- The aluminum foil you use Is so easily bendable, that you might find it difficult to believe it is as thick as you think.
The thin aluminum foil consumed in the kitchen, for instance, is not more than 0.2 millimeters in thickness. Despite the fact that the material is rather scanty it is capable of protecting food from light, oxygen, and moisture very efficiently. This device, used daily, is an engineering success story of the material aluminum.
Fact 6
- Aluminium played a significant role in the first flight by Wright Brothers carrying about 48 pounds of the material.
This great flight made by the Wright brothers in 1903 needed aluminum to come into being. They employed an aluminum engine block for their aircraft because the block is light but not weak. Such early application of aluminum in the industry helped to lay the foundation for the heavier use of aerospace aluminum today.
Fact 7
- This Product When in Contact with Air Develops a Coating Film
Aluminum doors also oxidize in contact with oxygen to form a clear oxide layer all over its surface. This natural occurrence makes aluminum one of the most resistant materials against corrosion since once it forms an oxide layer, nothing more can react with it. For this reason, aluminum is common in outdoor and marine applications.
Fact 8
- And, it has a very significant role to play in the exploration of space.
Since its early discovery, aluminum has played a significant role in the achievement of mankind’s ambitious goals towards space exploration. NASA and other space agencies use aluminum alloys extensively in space crafts, satellites, and space stations because of the light mechanical weight of the metal and its high strength. Apollo spacecraft that made the feat to the moon had a high content of aluminum even in the structure.
Conclusion
It not only enriched our knowledge about the properties and the history of aluminum but also opened our eyes to how aluminum profiles are involved in the generation of new technology and innovative steps toward sustainable development. From the mundane aspect of recycling to the incredible feature of space application aluminum remains one of the most versatile and incredible materials in history.
From the foil used inside kitchens to enjoying the advantages of high technologies, aluminum remains the rather indispensable material. To the layman, it may just seem like old-fashioned metal but can be referred to as a symbol of humanity’s creativity and the potential of raw materials.
