Aluminum (also known as aluminium) is the most abundant metal element in
the earth's crust. And it's a good thing, too, because we use a lot of it. About 41
million tons are smelted each year and employed in a wide arrange of applications.
From auto bodies to beer cans, and from electrical cables to aircraft skins,
aluminum is a very big part of our everyday lives.
Properties
Atomic Symbol: Al
Atomic Number: 13
Element Category: Post-transition metal
Density: 2.70 g/cm3
Melting Point: 1220.58 °F (660.32 °C)
Boiling Point: 4566 °F (2519 °C)
Moh's Hardness: 2.75
Characteristics
Aluminum is a lightweight, highly conductive, reflective and non-toxic metal that can be
easily machined. The metal's durability and numerous advantageous properties make it an
ideal material for many industrial applications.
Production
Production of aluminum from ore is dependent upon aluminum oxide (Al2O3), which is
extracted from bauxite ore. Bauxite normally contains 30-60% aluminum oxide (commonly
referred to as alumina) and is regularly found near the earth's surface. This process
can be separated into two parts; (1) the extraction of alumina from bauxite, and (2),
the smelting of aluminum metal from alumina.
Separation of alumina in normally done using what is known as the Bayer Process. This
involves crushing the bauxite into a powder, mixing it with water to make a slurry,
heating and adding caustic soda (NaOH). The caustic soda dissolves alumina, which allows
it to pass through filters, leaving impurities behind.
The aluminate solution is then drained into precipitator tanks where particles of
aluminum hydroxide are added as 'seed'. Agitation and cooling result in aluminum
hydroxide precipitating onto the seed material, which is then heated and dried to
produce alumina.
Electrolytic cells are used to smelt aluminum from alumina in the process discovered by
Charles Martin Hall.
Alumina fed into the cells is dissolved in a fluorinated bath of molten cryolite at
1742F° (950C°).
A direct current of anywhere from 10,000-300,000A is sent from the carbon anodes in the
cell through the mixture to a cathode shell. This electrical current breaks down the
alumina into aluminum and oxygen. The oxygen reacts with the carbon to produce carbon
dioxide, while the aluminum is attracted to the carbon cathode cell lining.
The aluminum can then be collected and taken to furnaces where recyclable aluminum
material can be added. About one-third of all aluminum produced today comes from
recycled material. According to the US Geological Survey, the largest aluminum producing
countries in 2010 were China, Russia, and Canada.
Applications
Aluminum's applications are too numerous to list, and because of the metal's special
properties researchers are finding new applications on a regular basis.
Generally speaking, aluminum and its many alloys are used in three major industries;
transportation, packaging, and construction.
Aluminum, in a variety of forms and alloys, is critical to the structural components
(frames and bodies) of aircraft, automobiles, trains, and boats. As much as 70% of some
commercial aircraft consist of aluminum alloys (measured by weight). Whether the part
requires stress or corrosion resistance, or tolerance to high temperatures, the type of
alloy used is dependent upon the requirements of each component part.
About 20% of all aluminum produced is used in packaging materials. Aluminum foil is a
suitable packaging material for food because of it is non-toxic, whereas it is also a
suitable sealant for chemical products because of its low reactivity and is impermeable
to light, water, and oxygen. In the US alone, about 100 billion aluminum cans are
shipped every year. Over half of these are eventually recycled.
Because of its durability and resistance to corrosion, about 15% of aluminum produced
each year is used in construction applications. This includes windows and door frames,
roofing, siding, and structural framing, as well as gutters, shutters and garage doors.
Aluminum's electrical conductivity also allows it to be employed in long distance
conductor lines. Reinforced with steel, aluminum alloys are more cost-efficient than
copper and reduce sagging due to their light weight.
Other applications for aluminum include shells and heat sinks for consumer electronics,
street lighting poles, oil rig top-structures, aluminum coated windows, cooking
utensils, baseball bats, and reflective safety devices.
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