Aluminum and aluminum alloys are currently one of the most economically applicable materials that are widely used. Since 1956, the world’s aluminum output has surpassed that of copper, and it has always ranked first in non-ferrous metals. The current output and consumption of aluminum (calculated by ton) is second only to steel, and has become the second largest metal used by human beings; moreover, aluminum resources are very abundant. According to preliminary calculations, the mineral reserves of aluminum account for more than 8% of the earth’s crust.
Aluminum’s light weight and corrosion resistance are two outstanding features of its performance.
1. The density of aluminum is very small, only 2.7g/cm³. Although it is relatively soft, it can be made into various aluminum alloys, such as hard aluminum, super hard aluminum, anti-rust aluminum, cast aluminum, etc. These aluminum alloys are widely used in manufacturing industries such as aircraft, automobiles, trains, and ships. In addition, space rockets, space shuttles, and artificial satellites also use a large amount of aluminum and its aluminum alloys. For example, a supersonic aircraft is approximately 70% aluminum and its alloys. Aluminum is also used in large quantities in shipbuilding, and a large passenger ship often uses thousands of tons of aluminum.
2. The conductivity of aluminum is second only to silver, copper and gold. Although its conductivity is only 2/3 of that of copper, its density is only 1/3 of that of copper. Therefore, the quality of aluminum wire is only copper wire when transporting the same amount of electricity. half of. The oxide film on the surface of aluminum not only has the ability of corrosion resistance, but also has a certain degree of insulation, so aluminum is widely used in the electrical manufacturing industry, wire and cable industry and radio industry.
3. Aluminum is a good conductor of heat, and its thermal conductivity is three times greater than that of iron. In industry, aluminum can be used to manufacture various heat exchangers, heat dissipation materials and cooking utensils.
4. Aluminum has good ductility (its ductility is second only to gold and silver), and it can be made into aluminum foil thinner than 0.01mm at 100°C to 150°C. These aluminum foils are widely used for packaging cigarettes, candies, etc., and can also be made into aluminum wires and bars, and can be rolled into various aluminum products.