Exploring Aluminum's Advantageous Properties
Aluminum is used in a wide range of industries, including construction, power transmission, household appliances, automotive, aerospace, and many more because it offers a combination of unique properties that lend themselves to use in multiple applications. To understand why the use of aluminum is ubiquitous in today's world, continue reading to explore some of its many advantages properties.
Versatility
To contextualize just how versatile aluminum is, it's important to understand the twin concepts of malleability and ductility. Malleability refers to a material's ability to be hammered, rolled, or pressed into the desired shape without losing its strength. Ductility, on the other hand, describes a material's ability to be drawn into a wire without snapping.
Aluminum is a highly malleable and ductile material that can be easily manipulated to take various shapes and sizes. This makes it possible to create a versatile range of products, including those with complex designs using aluminum.
Strength
Aluminum isn't the strongest metal available out there, but it's certainly strong enough to warrant its use in countless applications across different industries. The high tensile and compressive strength of aluminum makes it suitable for use as a structural material, for example, as window frames and staircase handrails. What's more, aluminum retains its strength well, even when it is bent or formed into various shapes.
Lightness
Aluminum weighs roughly one-third of steel's weight. This means it can achieve the strength of steel, without as much weight. This explains why aluminum is the preferred choice over steel when it comes to the building of aircraft, spacecraft, and automotive bodies.
Corrosion Resistance
One area where aluminum by far outperforms other metal materials is when it comes to corrosion resistance. Unlike most metals, aluminum offers natural resistance to corrosion. When exposed to the air, aluminum readily reacts with oxygen to form a thin oxide layer that protects the underlying metal from further oxidation, which would result in corrosion.
Recyclability
Aluminum doesn't lose its value when aluminum products reach the end of their useful lives. Aluminum scrap is sent to metal recycling centers to be reprocessed and reused as raw material for the manufacture of new aluminum products. This helps to reduce the demand for virgin aluminum, which requires much more energy resources and produces greater amounts of harmful carbon emissions.
Considering the unique combination of qualities that aluminum offers, it comes as no surprise that it's being used in an ever-increasing number of applications. Contact an aluminum supplier if you need aluminum supplies for your upcoming project.
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