Aluminum and Its Alloys:

Aluminum and aluminum alloys have many outstanding properties resulting in a wide range of uses
including good corrosion and oxidation resistance, high electrical and thermal conductivity, low density,
high reflectivity, high ductility and strength relatively high and relatively low cost. Aluminum is a
lightweight material with a density of 2.7 g / cm3 (0.1 lb. / in.3). Pure aluminum and its alloys have a
face-centered cubic (fcc) structure, which is stable up to its melting point at 657 ° C (1215 ° F). Because
the fcc structure contains multiple sliding planes, this crystalline structure contributes greatly to the
excellent formability of aluminum alloys.
Aluminum alloys have a good combination of strength and ductility. Aluminum alloys are among the
easiest metals to cast and work with. Precipitation hardening alloys can be formed in a relatively soft
condition and then heat treated to much higher strength levels after forming operations are completed.
At, aluminum and its alloys are non-toxic and are among the easiest building materials to recycle.
Aluminum is the most abundant metal in the earth's crust, but elemental aluminum was not successfully
mined until the 19th century. Even the first methods developed were inefficient and extremely expensive.
It is rumored that the French emperor Napoleon III used sterling silver and gold dinnerware for the usual
dinners and has reserved his esteemed aluminum dinnerware only for the most honored guests on special
occasions.
The situation changed from 1886 to 1888 with the almost simultaneous development of the Hall Héroult
process for electrolytic reduction and of the Bayer process for the profitable production of aluminum
oxide (Al2O3) from bauxite ore.
These advancements enabled the widespread production and use of aluminum and aluminum alloys.
Charles Hall, the developer of the Hall Héroult process, founded the Aluminum Company of America
(Alcoa).

Types of Aluminum Alloys:

Aluminum alloys are normally classified into one of three groups: wrought alloys that have not been heat
treated, wrought alloys that can be heat treated, and casting alloys.

Wrought Non Heat Treatable Alloys:

These alloys cannot be heat treated cannot be strengthened by precipitation hardening; they are mainly
hardened by cold working . Untreated wrought alloys include commercially pure aluminum series
(1xxx), aluminum-manganese series (3xxx), aluminum-silicon series (4xxx) and the -magnesium
aluminum series (5xxx). While some of the 4xxx alloys can be hardened by heat treatment, others can
only be hardened by work hardening

Wrought Heat Treatable Alloys:

These are alloys that can be heat treated can be hardened by precipitation to and develop fairly high levels
of strength. These alloys include the 2xxx series (AlCu and AlCuMg), the 6xxx series (AlMgSi), the 7xxx
series (AlZnMg and AlZnMgCu), and the aluminum lithium alloys of the 8xxx alloy series. Alloys 2xxx
and 7xxx, of which develop the highest strength levels, are the primary alloys used for the metal structure
of aircraft
Casting Alloys:
These alloys include both non-heat treatable and heat treatable alloys. The main categories are the 2xx.x
series (AlCu), the 3xx.x series (AlSi + Cu or Mg), the 4xx.x series (AlSi), the 5xx.x series (AlMg), the
7xx.x (AlZn) and the 8xx.x series (AlSn). Alloys 2xx.x, 3xx.x, 7xx.x and 8xx.x can be strengthened by
precipitation hardening, but the properties obtained are not as high as those of heat treated wrought
alloys.

Properties:
One of the most outstanding features of aluminum is its versatility. Over 300 alloy compositions are
widely recognized and many additional variants have been developed internationally and in
supplier/consumer relationships .The properties of aluminum that make this metal and its alloys the most
economical and most attractive for a wide variety of applications are appearance, lightness,
manufacturability, physical properties, mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. Aluminum can
exhibit excellent corrosion resistance in most environments, including atmosphere, water (including salt
water), petrochemicals and many chemical systems.
Some of the high strength and corrosion sensitive wrought alloys can be supplied as Alclad, in which
thin layers of a corrosion resistant aluminum alloy are diffusion bonded to both surfaces of the alloy
during hot rolling operations in the mill.
Aluminum surfaces can be highly reflective. Radiant energy, visible light, radiant heat and
electromagnetic waves are efficiently reflected while dark anodized and anodized surfaces can be
reflective or absorbent. The reflectance of polished aluminum over a broad range of wavelengths, leads to
its selection for a variety of decorative and functional uses.
Aluminum is not ferromagnetic, an important property in the electrical and electronics industries. Not
pyrophoric, which is important in applications involving handling or exposure to flammable or explosive
materials. Aluminum is also non-toxic and is routinely used in food and beverage containers. It has an
attractive appearance in its natural finish, which can be soft and shiny or bright and shiny. It can be any
color or texture.

Electrical and Thermal Properties:

Aluminum generally exhibits excellent electrical and thermal conductivity, but specific alloys have been
developed with a high degree of electrical resistance. These alloys are useful, for example, in high torque
electric motors.
Aluminum is often chosen for its electrical conductivity, which is nearly double that of copper at
equivalent weight. High requirements in terms of conductivity and mechanical strength can be met by
using high voltage cable with reinforced steel core transmission cable.
The thermal conductivity of aluminum alloys, about 50 to 60% that of copper, is advantageous in heat
exchangers, evaporators, electric heaters and automotive tools, cylinder heads and radiators.
Mechanical Properties:
Some aluminum alloys are stronger than structural steel. However, pure aluminum and certain aluminum-
alloys are known for their extremely low strength and toughness. The yield strength of pure aluminum in
its softest annealed state is approximately 10 MPa (1.5 ksi) while the other heat-treated high-strength
commercial alloys exceeds 550 MPa (80 ksi).
Higher strengths, up to a yield strength of 690 MPa (100 ksi) and above, can be manufactured, but the
fracture toughness of such alloys does not reach levels considered essential for aircraft or other
applications with critical structures.
The density of aluminum and its alloys is approximately 7 GPa (10 msi), which is less than that of
titanium alloys (10 GPa or 15 msi) and steel (21 GPa or 30 msi). However, measured on the basis of
stiffness and density, aluminum alloys are competitive in weight with the heavier titanium and steel
alloys. A rather disappointing property of high-strength aluminum alloys is their fatigue performance;
the fatigue limit for most high-strength alloys is in the range of 137 to 172 MPa (20 to 25 ksi).
Work hardening greatly increases the strength of aluminum. Commercial grade aluminum (99.60%
pure) has a yield strength of 27 MPa (3.9 ksi) when fully annealed, but when is cold stamped or rolled at
an area reduction of 75% increases the yield stress to 125 MPa (18 °). ksi).
As with most metals with a crystal structure fcc, there is no ductile-brittle transition; Aluminum remains
ductile at cryogenic temperatures, with tensile elongation actually increasing slightly below -200 ° C (-
328 ° F).
Although aluminum alloys can achieve high strength at room temperature, tensile and yield strength
decreases dramatically above 200 ° C (392 ° F).