NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Aluminium

Aluminium (IPA: /ˌæljʊˈmɪniəm/, /ˌæljəˈmɪniəm/) or aluminum (/əˈluːmɪnəm/, see spelling below) is a silvery white and ductile member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al; its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances. Aluminium is the most abundant metal in the Earth's crust, and the third most abundant element overall, after oxygen and silicon. It makes up about 8% by weight of the Earth’s solid surface. Aluminium is too reactive chemically to occur in nature as the free metal. Instead, it is found combined in over 270 different minerals.^[1] The chief source of aluminium is bauxite ore. General Name, symbol, number magnesium, Mg, 12 Chemical series alkaline earth metals Group, period, block 2, 3, s Appearance silvery white solid at room temp Standard atomic weight 24. ... Not to be confused with Silicone. ... For other uses, see Boron (disambiguation). ... Not to be confused with Galium. ... Image File history File links Al-TableImage. ... This is a standard display of the periodic table of the elements. ... An extended periodic table was suggested by Glenn T. Seaborg in 1969. ... This is a list of chemical elements, sorted by name and color coded according to type of element. ... Categories: Chemical elements ... sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... A group, also known as a family, is a vertical column in the periodic table of the chemical elements. ... In the periodic table of the elements, a period is a horizontal row of the table. ... A block of the periodic table of elements is a set of adjacent groups. ... The Boron group is periodic table group 13 (IUPAC style) in the periodic table. ... A period 3 element is one of the chemical elements in the third row (or period) of the periodic table of the elements. ... The p-block of the periodic table of elements consists of the last six groups. ... Color is an important part of the visual arts. ... Aluminum sample. ... The atomic mass (ma) is the mass of an atom at rest, most often expressed in unified atomic mass units. ... To help compare different orders of magnitude, the following list describes various mass levels between 10âˆ’36 kg and 1053 kg. ... Hydrogen = 1 List of Elements in Atomic Number Order. ... Molar mass is the mass of one mole of a chemical element or chemical compound. ... Electron atomic and molecular orbitals In atomic physics and quantum chemistry, the electron configuration is the arrangement of electrons in an atom, molecule, or other physical structure (, a crystal). ... For other uses, see Neon (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Electron (disambiguation). ... Example of a sodium electron shell model An electron shell, also known as a main energy level, is a group of atomic orbitals with the same value of the principal quantum number n. ... In the physical sciences, a phase is a set of states of a macroscopic physical system that have relatively uniform chemical composition and physical properties (i. ... This box: For other uses, see Solid (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Density (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Room temperature (disambiguation). ... Kilogram per cubic metre is the SI measure of density and is represented as kg/m³, where kg stands for kilogram and m³ stands for cubic metre. ... For other uses, see Density (disambiguation). ... The melting point of a crystalline solid is the temperature range at which it changes state from solid to liquid. ... The melting point of a crystalline solid is the temperature range at which it changes state from solid to liquid. ... For other uses, see Kelvin (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Celsius (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Fahrenheit (disambiguation). ... Italic text This article is about the boiling point of liquids. ... For other uses, see Kelvin (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Celsius (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Fahrenheit (disambiguation). ... Standard enthalpy change of fusion of period three. ... Kilojoule per mole are an SI derived unit of energy per amount of material, where energy is measured in units of 1000 joules, and the amount of material is measured in mole units. ... The heat of vaporization is a physical property of substances. ... Kilojoule per mole are an SI derived unit of energy per amount of material, where energy is measured in units of 1000 joules, and the amount of material is measured in mole units. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Vapor pressure is the pressure of a vapor in equilibrium with its non-vapor phases. ... Enargite crystals In mineralogy and crystallography, a crystal structure is a unique arrangement of atoms in a crystal. ... Not to be confused with oxidation state. ... In chemistry, an amphoteric substance is one that can react with either an acid or base (more generally, the word describes something made of, or acting like, two components). ... Electronegativity is a measure of the ability of an atom or molecule to attract electrons in the context of a chemical bond. ... The ionization energy (IE) of an atom or of a molecule is the energy required to strip it of an electron. ... These tables list the ionization energy in kJ/mol necessary to remove an electron from a neutral atom (first energy), respectively from a singly, doubly, etc. ... Kilojoule per mole are an SI derived unit of energy per amount of material, where energy is measured in units of 1000 joules, and the amount of material is measured in mole units. ... Atomic radius: Ionic radius Covalent radius Metallic radius van der Waals radius edit Atomic radius, and more generally the size of an atom, is not a precisely defined physical quantity, nor is it constant in all circumstances. ... You have big harry skanky balls ... One picometre is defined as 1x10-12 metres, in standard units. ... You have big harry skanky balls ... Atomic radius: Ionic radius Covalent radius Metallic radius van der Waals radius edit The covalent radius, rcov, is a measure of the size of atom which forms part of a covalent bond. ... You have big harry skanky balls ... For other senses of this word, see magnetism (disambiguation). ... Simple Illustration of a paramagnetic probe made up from miniature magnets. ... // Headline text POOP!! Danny Hornsby (also known as Gnome) is a measure indicating how strongly a Gnome can opposes the flow of electric current. ... K value redirects here. ... During heat transfer, the energy that is stored in the intermolecular bonds between atoms changes. ... This page is about the physical speed of sound waves in a medium. ... For other uses, see Room temperature (disambiguation). ... Metre per second (U.S. spelling: meter per second) is an SI derived unit of both speed (scalar) and velocity (vector), defined by distance in metres divided by time in seconds. ... In solid mechanics, Youngs modulus (E) is a measure of the stiffness of a given material. ... In materials science, shear modulus, G, or sometimes S or Î¼, sometimes referred to as the modulus of rigidity, is defined as the ratio of shear stress to the shear strain:[1] where = shear stress; force acts on area ; = shear strain; length changes by amount . ... The bulk modulus (K) of a substance essentially measures the substances resistance to uniform compression. ... Figure 1: Rectangular specimen subject to compression, with Poissons ratio circa 0. ... The Mohs scale of mineral hardness characterizes the scratch resistance of various minerals through the ability of a harder material to scratch a softer material. ... A Vickers hardness tester The Vickers hardness test was developed in the early 1920s as an alternative method to measure the hardness of materials. ... The Brinell scale characterises the indentation hardness of materials through the scale of penetration of an indenter, loaded on a material test-piece. ... CAS registry numbers are unique numerical identifiers for chemical compounds, polymers, biological sequences, mixtures and alloys. ... Aluminium (Al) Standard atomic mass: 26. ... For other uses, see Isotope (disambiguation). ... Natural abundance refers to the prevalence of different isotopes of an element as found in nature. ... Half-Life For a quantity subject to exponential decay, the half-life is the time required for the quantity to fall to half of its initial value. ... In physics, the decay mode describes a particular way a particle decays. ... The decay energy is the energy released by a nuclear decay. ... The electronvolt (symbol eV) is a unit of energy. ... In nuclear physics, a decay product, also known as a daughter product, is a nuclide resulting from the radioactive decay of a parent or precursor nuclide. ... A Synthetic radioisotope is a radionuclide that is not found in nature: no natural process or mechanism exists which produces it, or it is so unstable that it decays away in a very short period of time. ... To help compare orders of magnitude of different times this page lists times between 320 000 years and 3 200 000 years (1013 seconds and 1014 seconds) See also times of other orders of magnitude. ... A year (from Old English gÄ“r) is the time between two recurrences of an event related to the orbit of the Earth around the Sun. ... Positron emission is a type of beta decay, sometimes referred to as beta plus (Î²+). In beta plus decay, a proton is converted to a neutron via the weak nuclear force and a beta plus particle (a positron) and a neutrino are emitted. ... General Name, symbol, number magnesium, Mg, 12 Chemical series alkaline earth metals Group, period, block 2, 3, s Appearance silvery white solid at room temp Standard atomic weight 24. ... Electron capture is a decay mode for isotopes that will occur when there are too many protons in the nucleus of an atom, and there isnt enough energy to emit a positron; however, it continues to be a viable decay mode for radioactive isotopes that can decay by positron... General Name, symbol, number magnesium, Mg, 12 Chemical series alkaline earth metals Group, period, block 2, 3, s Appearance silvery white solid at room temp Standard atomic weight 24. ... This article is about electromagnetic radiation. ... Stable isotopes are chemical isotopes that are not radioactive. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Recommended values for many properties of the elements, together with various references, are collected on these data pages. ... Ductility is the physical property of being capable of sustaining large plastic deformations without fracture (in metals, such as being drawn into a wire). ... For other uses, see Boron (disambiguation). ... The periodic table of the chemical elements A chemical element, or element, is a type of atom that is defined by its atomic number; that is, by the number of protons in its nucleus. ... See also: List of elements by atomic number In chemistry and physics, the atomic number (also known as the proton number) is the number of protons found in the nucleus of an atom. ... The abundance of a chemical element measures how common the element is, or how much of the element there is. ... This article is about Earth as a planet. ... World geologic provinces (USGS) Oceanic crust 0-20 Ma 20-65 Ma >65 Ma Geologic province Shield Platform Orogen Basin Large igneous province Extended crust In geology, a crust is the outermost solid shell of a planet or moon. ... This article is about the chemical element and its most stable form, or dioxygen. ... Not to be confused with Silicone. ... For other uses, see Mineral (disambiguation). ... This article is about the ore. ... For other uses, see Ore (disambiguation). ...

Aluminium is remarkable for its ability to resist corrosion (due to the phenomenon of passivation) and its light weight. Structural components made from aluminium and its alloys are vital to the aerospace industry and very important in other areas of transportation and building. Its reactive nature makes it useful as a catalyst or additive in chemical mixtures, including being used in ammonium nitrate explosives to enhance blast power. For the hazard, see corrosive. ... Passivation is the process of making a material passive in relation to another material prior to using the materials together. ... Aluminium alloys or aluminum alloys are alloys of aluminium, often with copper, zinc, manganese, silicon, or magnesium. ... Look up aerospace in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Related Compounds Other anions Ammonium nitrite; ammonium perchlorate Other cations Sodium nitrate; potassium nitrate; hydroxylammonium nitrate Related compounds Nitrous oxide Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 Â°C, 100 kPa) Infobox disclaimer and references The chemical compound ammonium nitrate, the nitrate of... This article is concerned solely with chemical explosives. ...

Characteristics

Aluminium is a soft, lightweight, malleable metal with appearance ranging from silvery to dull gray, depending on the surface roughness. Aluminium is nontoxic, nonmagnetic, and nonsparking. It is also insoluble in alcohol, though it can be soluble in water only in certain forms. The yield strength of pure aluminium is 7–11 MPa, while aluminium alloys have yield strengths ranging from 200 MPa to 600 MPa.^[2] Aluminium has about one-third the density and stiffness of steel. It is ductile, and easily machined, cast, and extruded. Malleability is a physical property of matter, signifying its capability of deformation, especially by hammering or rolling. ... This article is about metallic materials. ... Yield strength, or the yield point, is defined in engineering and materials science as the stress at which a material begins to plastically deform. ... For other uses, see Pascal. ... Aluminium alloys or aluminum alloys are alloys of aluminium, often with copper, zinc, manganese, silicon, or magnesium. ... For other uses, see Density (disambiguation). ... An elastic modulus, or modulus of elasticity, is the mathematical description of an object or substances tendency to be deformed when a force is applied to it. ... For other uses, see Steel (disambiguation). ... Ductility is the physical property of being capable of sustaining large plastic deformations without fracture (in metals, such as being drawn into a wire). ... A lathe is a common tool used in machining. ... This article is about the manufacturing process. ... Extruded aluminium; slots allow bars to be joined with special connectors. ...

Corrosion resistance is excellent due to a thin surface layer of aluminium oxide that forms when the metal is exposed to air, effectively preventing further oxidation. The strongest aluminium alloys are less corrosion resistant due to galvanic reactions with alloyed copper.^[2] For the hazard, see corrosive. ... Alumina redirects here. ... The most fundamental reactions in chemistry are the redox processes. ... The Galvanic cell, named after Luigi Galvani, consists of two different metals connected by a salt bridge or a porous disk between the individual half-cells. ... For other uses, see Copper (disambiguation). ...

Aluminium atoms are arranged in an face-centered cubic (FCC) structure. Aluminium has a high stacking-fault energy of approximately 200 mJ/m².^[3] In crystallography, the cubic crystal system is the most symmetric of the 7 crystal systems. ... The stacking-fault energy (SFE) is a material property on a very small scale. ...

Aluminium is one of the few metals that retain full silvery reflectance in finely powdered form, making it an important component of silver paints. Aluminium mirror finish has the highest reflectance of any metal in the 200–400 nm (UV) and the 3000–10000 nm (far IR) regions, while in the 400–700 nm visible range it is slightly outdone by tin and silver and in the 700–3000 (near IR) by silver, gold, and copper.^{[citation needed]} For other uses, see Ultraviolet (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Infrared (disambiguation). ... This article is about the metallic chemical element. ... This article is about the chemical element. ... GOLD refers to one of the following: GOLD (IEEE) is an IEEE program designed to garner more student members at the university level (Graduates of the Last Decade). ...

Aluminium is a good thermal and electrical conductor, by weight better than copper. Aluminium is capable of being a superconductor, with a superconducting critical temperature of 1.2 kelvins and a critical magnetic field of about 100 gauss.^[4] Heat conduction or thermal conduction is the spontaneous transfer of thermal energy through matter, from a region of higher temperature to a region of lower temperature, and acts to equalize temperature differences. ... In science and engineering, conductors, such as copper or aluminum, are materials with atoms having loosely held valence electrons. ... Superconductivity is a phenomenon occurring in certain materials at low temperatures, characterised by the complete absence of electrical resistance and the damping of the interior magnetic field (the Meissner effect. ... For other uses, see Kelvin (disambiguation). ... The gauss, abbreviated as G, is the cgs unit of magnetic flux density (B), named after the German mathematician and physicist Carl Friedrich Gauss. ...

Isotopes

Main article: isotopes of aluminium

Aluminium has nine isotopes, whose mass numbers range from 23 to 30. Only ²⁷Al (stable isotope) and ²⁶Al (radioactive isotope, t_1/2 = 7.2 × 10⁵ y) occur naturally, however ²⁷Al has a natural abundance of 99.9+ %. ²⁶Al is produced from argon in the atmosphere by spallation caused by cosmic-ray protons. Aluminium isotopes have found practical application in dating marine sediments, manganese nodules, glacial ice, quartz in rock exposures, and meteorites. The ratio of ²⁶Al to ¹⁰Be has been used to study the role of transport, deposition, sediment storage, burial times, and erosion on 10⁵ to 10⁶ year time scales.^{[citation needed]} Cosmogenic ²⁶Al was first applied in studies of the Moon and meteorites. Meteorite fragments, after departure from their parent bodies, are exposed to intense cosmic-ray bombardment during their travel through space, causing substantial ²⁶Al production. After falling to Earth, atmospheric shielding protects the meteorite fragments from further ²⁶Al production, and its decay can then be used to determine the meteorite's terrestrial age. Meteorite research has also shown that ²⁶Al was relatively abundant at the time of formation of our planetary system. Most meteoriticists believe that the energy released by the decay of ²⁶Al was responsible for the melting and differentiation of some asteroids after their formation 4.55 billion years ago.^[5] Aluminium (Al) Standard atomic mass: 26. ... For other uses, see Isotope (disambiguation). ... Stable isotopes are chemical isotopes that are not radioactive. ... Radioactive decay is the process in which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by emitting radiation in the form of particles or electromagnetic waves. ... This article is about the computer game. ... A year (from Old English gÄ“r) is the time between two recurrences of an event related to the orbit of the Earth around the Sun. ... General Name, symbol, number argon, Ar, 18 Chemical series noble gases Group, period, block 18, 3, p Appearance colorless Standard atomic weight 39. ... Air redirects here. ... In general, spallation is a process in which fragments of material are ejected from a body due to impact or stress. ... The energy spectrum for cosmic rays Cosmic rays are energetic particles originating from space that impinge on Earths atmosphere. ... For other uses, see Proton (disambiguation). ... Animated map exhibiting the worlds oceanic waters. ... For other uses, see Quartz (disambiguation). ... This article is about the geological substance. ... Willamette Meteorite A meteorite is a natural object originating in outer space that survives an impact with the Earths surface without being destroyed. ... General Name, symbol, number beryllium, Be, 4 Chemical series alkaline earth metals Group, period, block 2, 2, s Appearance white-gray metallic Standard atomic weight 9. ... This article or section cites very few or no references or sources. ... Cosmogenic refers to rare radioactive isotopes created when cosmic radiation interacts with an atomic nucleus. ... This article is about Earths moon. ... In cosmogony, planetary differentiation is a process by which the denser portions of a planet will sink to the center; while less dense materials rise to the surface. ... Asteroids is a popular vector-based video arcade game released in 1979 by Atari. ...

Production and refinement

Although aluminium is the most abundant metallic element in the Earth's crust (believed to be 7.5 to 8.1 percent), it is rare in its free form, occurring in oxygen-deficient environments such as volcanic mud, and it was once considered a precious metal more valuable than gold. Napoleon III, emperor of the French, is reputed to have given a banquet where the most honoured guests were given aluminium utensils, while the other guests had to make do with gold ones.^[6]^[7] Aluminium has been produced in commercial quantities for just over 100 years. This article is about volcanoes in geology. ... For the CSI episode of the same name, see Precious Metal (CSI episode). ... This article is about the President of the French Republic and Emperor of the French. ...

Aluminium is a strongly reactive metal that forms a high energy chemical bond with oxygen. Compared to most other metals, it is difficult to extract from ore, such as bauxite, due to the energy required to reduce aluminium oxide (Al₂O₃). For example, direct reduction with carbon, as is used to produce iron, is not chemically possible, since aluminium is a stronger reducing agent than carbon. Aluminium oxide has a melting point of about 2,000 °C. Therefore, it must be extracted by electrolysis. In this process, the aluminium oxide is dissolved in molten cryolite and then reduced to the pure metal. The operational temperature of the reduction cells is around 950 to 980 °C. Cryolite is found as a mineral in Greenland, but in industrial use it has been replaced by a synthetic substance. Cryolite is a chemical compound of aluminium, sodium, and calcium fluorides: (Na₃AlF₆). The aluminium oxide (a white powder) is obtained by refining bauxite in the Bayer process of Karl Bayer. (Previously, the Deville process was the predominant refining technology.) This article is about the ore. ... For other uses, see Carbon (disambiguation). ... General Name, symbol, number iron, Fe, 26 Chemical series transition metals Group, period, block 8, 4, d Appearance lustrous metallic with a grayish tinge Standard atomic weight 55. ... In chemistry and manufacturing, electrolysis is a method of separating chemically bonded elements and compounds by passing an electric current through them. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with sodium hexafluoroaluminate. ... For sodium in the diet, see Salt. ... For other uses, see Calcium (disambiguation). ... Fluoride is the ionic form of fluorine. ... The Bayer process is the principal industrial means of producing alumina, itself important in the Hall-HÃ©roult process for producing aluminum. ... Karl Josef Bayer (March 4, 1847 - October 4, 1904) was an Austrian chemist that invented the Bayer process of extracting alumina from bauxite, essential to this day to the economical production of aluminum. ... The Deville process was the first industrial process used to produce alumina from bauxite. ...

The electrolytic process replaced the Wöhler process, which involved the reduction of anhydrous aluminium chloride with potassium. Both of the electrodes used in the electrolysis of aluminium oxide are carbon. Once the ore is in the molten state, its ions are free to move around. The reaction at the cathode — the negative terminal — is WÃ¶hler process was used in the production of aluminium. ... General Name, symbol, number potassium, K, 19 Chemical series alkali metals Group, period, block 1, 4, s Appearance silvery white Standard atomic weight 39. ... For other uses, see Electrode (disambiguation). ... Diagram of a copper cathode in a Daniells cell. ...

Al³⁺ + 3 e⁻ → Al

Here the aluminium ion is being reduced (electrons are added). The aluminium metal then sinks to the bottom and is tapped off. ed|other uses|reduction}} Illustration of a redox reaction Redox (shorthand for reduction/oxidation reaction) describes all chemical reactions in which atoms have their oxidation number (oxidation state) changed. ...

At the positive electrode (anode), oxygen is formed: Diagram of a zinc anode in a galvanic cell. ...

2 O²⁻ → O₂ + 4 e⁻

This carbon anode is then oxidized by the oxygen, releasing carbon dioxide. The anodes in a reduction cell must therefore be replaced regularly, since they are consumed in the process:

O₂ + C → CO₂

Unlike the anodes, the cathodes are not oxidized because there is no oxygen present at the cathode. The carbon cathode is protected by the liquid aluminium inside the cells. Nevertheless, cathodes do erode, mainly due to electrochemical processes. After five to ten years, depending on the current used in the electrolysis, a cell has to be rebuilt because of cathode wear.

World production trend of aluminium

Aluminium electrolysis with the Hall-Héroult process consumes a lot of energy, but alternative processes were always found to be less viable economically and/or ecologically. The world-wide average specific energy consumption is approximately 15±0.5 kilowatt-hours per kilogram of aluminium produced from alumina. (52 to 56 MJ/kg). The most modern smelters reach approximately 12.8 kW·h/kg (46.1 MJ/kg). (Compare this to the heat of reaction, 31 MJ/kg, and the Gibbs free energy of reaction, 29 MJ/kg.) Reduction line current for older technologies are typically 100 to 200 kA. State-of-the-art smelters operate with about 350 kA. Trials have been reported with 500 kA cells. Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... The Hall-HÃ©roult process is the major industrial process for the production of aluminum. ... The kilowatt-hour (symbol: kW·h) is a unit for measuring energy. ... A megajoule (abbreviation: MJ) is a unit of energy equal to 1000000 joules. ... The standard enthalpy change of reaction (denoted Î”HÂ° or Î”Ho)is the enthalpy change that occurs in a system when one mole of matter is transformed by a chemical reaction under standard conditions. ... In thermodynamics, the Gibbs free energy is a thermodynamic potential which measures the useful work obtainable from a closed thermodynamic system at a constant temperature and pressure. ...

Recovery of the metal via recycling has become an important facet of the aluminium industry. Recycling involves melting the scrap, a process that uses only five percent of the energy needed to produce aluminium from ore. However, a significant part (up to 15% of input material) is lost as dross (ash-like oxide).^[8] Recycling was a low-profile activity until the late 1960s, when the growing use of aluminium beverage cans brought it to the public consciousness. The international recycling symbol. ... Dross is a mass of solid impurities floating on a molten metal bath. ... The pull-tab opening mechanism characteristic of post-1970s drinking cans. ...

Electric power represents about 20% to 40% of the cost of producing aluminium, depending on the location of the smelter. Smelters tend to be situated where electric power is both plentiful and inexpensive, such as South Africa, the South Island of New Zealand, Australia, the People's Republic of China, the Middle East, Russia, Quebec and British Columbia in Canada, and Iceland. The South Island The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ... This article is about the Canadian province. ... Motto: Splendor sine occasu (Latin: Splendour without diminishment) Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Official languages English (de facto) Government Lieutenant-Governor Steven Point Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament House seats 36 Senate seats 6 Confederation July 20, 1871 (6th province) Area Ranked 5th Total 944...

Aluminium output in 2005

In 2005, the People's Republic of China was the top producer of aluminium with almost one-fifth world share followed by Russia, Canada and USA reports the British Geological Survey. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 351 pixelsFull resolution (1425 Ã— 625 pixel, file size: 60 KB, MIME type: image/png)This bubble map shows the global distribution of aluminium output in 2005 as a percentage of the top producer (China - 7,806,000 tonnes). ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 351 pixelsFull resolution (1425 Ã— 625 pixel, file size: 60 KB, MIME type: image/png)This bubble map shows the global distribution of aluminium output in 2005 as a percentage of the top producer (China - 7,806,000 tonnes). ... The British Geological Survey is a publicly-funded body which aims to advance geoscientific knowledge of the United Kingdom landmass and its continental shelf by means of systematic surveying, monitoring and research. ...

Over the last 50 years, Australia has become a major producer of bauxite ore and a major producer and exporter of alumina.^[9] Australia produced 62 million tonnes of bauxite in 2005. The Australian deposits have some refining problems, some being high in silica but have the advantage of being shallow and relatively easy to mine.^[10]

See also: Category:Aluminium minerals

Chemistry

Oxidation state one

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AlH is produced when aluminium is heated in an atmosphere of hydrogen.
Al₂O is made by heating the normal oxide, Al₂O₃, with silicon at 1800 °C in a vacuum.
Al₂S can be made by heating Al₂S₃ with aluminium shavings at 1300 °C in a vacuum. It quickly disproportionates to the starting materials. The selenide is made in a parallel manner.
AlF, AlCl and AlBr exist in the gaseous phase when the tri-halide is heated with aluminium.

Aluminium halides usually exist in the form AlX₃. e.g. AlF₃, AlCl₃, AlBr₃, AlI₃ etc. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... This article is about the chemistry of hydrogen. ... Look up Vacuum in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Disproportionation is a concept in chemistry and is a redox reaction where a reactant is both oxidised and reduced in the same chemical reaction. ...

Oxidation state two

Aluminium monoxide, AlO, is present when aluminium powder burns in oxygen.

Aluminium monoxide, or aluminium(II) oxide, is a compound of aluminium and oxygen with the chemical formula AlO. Its spectrum exists in the infrared region and it is believed to exist in circumstellar matter. ...

Oxidation state three

Fajans' rules show that the simple trivalent cation Al³⁺ is not expected to be found in anhydrous salts or binary compounds such as Al₂O₃. The hydroxide is a weak base and aluminium salts of weak acids, such as carbonate, can't be prepared. The salts of strong acids, such as nitrate, are stable and soluble in water, forming hydrates with at least six molecules of water of crystallization.
Aluminium hydride, (AlH₃)_n, can be produced from trimethylaluminium and an excess of hydrogen. It burns explosively in air. It can also be prepared by the action of aluminium chloride on lithium hydride in ether solution, but cannot be isolated free from the solvent.
Aluminium carbide, Al₄C₃ is made by heating a mixture of the elements above 1000 °C. The pale yellow crystals have a complex lattice structure, and react with water or dilute acids to give methane. The acetylide, Al₂(C₂)₃, is made by passing acetylene over heated aluminium.
Aluminium nitride, AlN, can be made from the elements at 800 °C. It is hydrolysed by water to form ammonia and aluminium hydroxide.
Aluminium phosphide, AlP, is made similarly, and hydrolyses to give phosphine.
Aluminium oxide, Al₂O₃, occurs naturally as corundum, and can be made by burning aluminium in oxygen or by heating the hydroxide, nitrate or sulfate. As a gemstone, its hardness is only exceeded by diamond, boron nitride, and carborundum. It is almost insoluble in water.
Aluminium hydroxide may be prepared as a gelatinous precipitate by adding ammonia to an aqueous solution of an aluminium salt. It is amphoteric, being both a very weak acid, and forming aluminates with alkalis. It exists in various crystalline forms.
Aluminium sulfide, Al₂S₃, may be prepared by passing hydrogen sulfide over aluminium powder. It is polymorphic.
Aluminium iodide, (AlI₃)₂, is a dimer with applications in organic synthesis.
Aluminium fluoride, AlF₃, is made by treating the hydroxide with HF, or can be made from the elements. It consists of a giant molecule which sublimes without melting at 1291 °C. It is very inert. The other trihalides are dimeric, having a bridge-like structure.
Aluminium fluoride/water complexes: When aluminium and fluoride are together in aqueous solution, they readily form complex ions such as AlF(H₂O)₅⁺², AlF₃(H₂O)₃⁰, AlF₆^-3. Of these, AlF₆^-3 is the most stable. This is explained by the fact that aluminium and fluoride, which are both very compact ions, fit together just right to form the octahedral aluminium hexafluoride complex. When aluminium and fluoride are together in water in a 1:6 molar ratio, AlF₆^-3 is the most common form, even in rather low concentrations.
Organo-metallic compounds of empirical formula AlR₃ exist and, if not also giant molecules, are at least dimers or trimers. They have some uses in organic synthesis, for instance trimethylaluminium.
Alumino-hydrides of the most electropositive elements are known, the most useful being lithium aluminium hydride, Li[AlH₄]. It decomposes into lithium hydride, aluminium and hydrogen when heated, and is hydrolysed by water. It has many uses in organic chemistry, particularly as a reducing agent. The aluminohalides have a similar structure.

In inorganic chemistry, what became know as Fajans Rules were formulated by Kasimir Fajans. ... Water of crystallization (alt. ... Aluminium hydride, chemical formula (AlH3)n, can be produced by reacting trimethylaluminium with hydrogen. ... This article needs copyediting (checking for proper English spelling, grammar, usage, etc. ... Ionic lattice structure of lithium hydride Lithium hydride (LiH) is the compound of lithium and hydrogen. ... This article is about a general class of chemical compounds. ... Aluminium carbide, chemical formula Al4C3, is a carbide of aluminium. ... Methane is a chemical compound with the molecular formula . ... A metal acetylide is an alkyne that has had a proton (hydrogen) removed from the terminal end by a metal such as sodium or an organolithium. ... Acetylene (systematic name: ethyne) is a hydrocarbon belonging to the group of alkynes. ... Aluminium nitride (AlN) is a nitride of aluminium. ... For other uses, see Ammonia (disambiguation). ... Aluminium hydroxide, Al(OH)3, is the most stable form of aluminium in normal conditions. ... Aluminium phosphide (AlP) is a compound of aluminium and phosphorus. ... This article is about the chemical. ... This article is about the mineral. ... Boron nitride is a binary chemical compound, consisting of equal proportions of boron and nitrogen, with formula BN. Structurally, it is isoelectronic to carbon and takes on similar physical forms: a hexagonal, graphite-like one, and a cubic, diamond-like one. ... Silicon carbide (SiC) or moissanite is a ceramic compound of silicon and carbon. ... Aluminium hydroxide, Al(OH)3, is the most stable form of aluminium in normal conditions. ... In chemistry, an amphoteric substance is one that can react with either an acid or base (more generally, the word describes something made of, or acting like, two components). ... Alkaline redirects here. ... Aluminum Sulfide (Al2S3) is a chemical compound. ... Hydrogen sulfide (hydrogen sulphide in British English) is the chemical compound with the formula H2S. This colorless, toxic and flammable gas is responsible for the foul odor of rotten eggs and flatulence. ... Polymorphism in materials science is the ability of a solid material to exist in more than one form or crystal structure. ... Aluminium iodide is any chemical compound containing only aluminium and iodine. ... Sucrose, or common table sugar, is composed of glucose and fructose. ... Organic synthesis is the construction of organic molecules via chemical processes. ... Aluminium fluoride, AlF3, is made by treating the aluminium hydroxide with HF, or can be made from the elements. ... Lithium aluminium hydride (LiAlH4), commonly abbreviated to LAH, is a powerful reducing agent used in organic chemistry. ...

Clusters

In the journal Science of 14 January 2005 it was reported that clusters of 13 aluminium atoms (Al₁₃) had been made to behave like an iodine atom; and, 14 aluminium atoms (Al₁₄) behaved like an alkaline earth atom. The researchers also bound 12 iodine atoms to an Al₁₃ cluster to form a new class of polyiodide. This discovery is reported to give rise to the possibility of a new characterisation of the periodic table: superatoms. The research teams were led by Shiv N. Khanna (Virginia Commonwealth University) and A. Welford Castleman Jr (Penn State University).^[11] Science is the academic journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and is considered one of the worlds most prestigious scientific journals. ... is the 14th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Iodine (disambiguation). ... This article contains information that has not been verified. ... The Periodic Table redirects here. ... Superatoms are clusters of atoms which seem to exhibit some of the properties of elemental atoms. ... Virginia Commonwealth University, or VCU, is a large public American research university with its main campuses located in downtown Richmond, Virginia. ... The Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University (commonly known as Penn State) is a state-related land-grant university in Pennsylvania, with over 80,000 students at 24 campuses throughout the state. ...

Applications

General use

A piece of aluminium metal.

Aluminium is the most widely used non-ferrous metal.^[12] Global production of aluminium in 2005 was 31.9 million tonnes. It exceeded that of any other metal except iron (837.5 million tonnes).^[13] Relatively pure aluminium is encountered only when corrosion resistance and/or workability is more important than strength or hardness. A thin layer of aluminium can be deposited onto a flat surface by physical vapor deposition or (very infrequently) chemical vapor deposition or other chemical means to form optical coatings and mirrors. When so deposited, a fresh, pure aluminium film serves as a good reflector (approximately 92%) of visible light and an excellent reflector (as much as 98%) of medium and far infrared. Image File history File links Aluminum_Metal_coinless. ... Image File history File links Aluminum_Metal_coinless. ... General Name, symbol, number iron, Fe, 26 Chemical series transition metals Group, period, block 8, 4, d Appearance lustrous metallic with a grayish tinge Standard atomic weight 55. ... Physical vapor deposition (PVD) is a technique used to deposit thin films of various materials onto various surfaces (e. ... DC plasma (violet) enhances the growth of carbon nanotubes in this laboratory-scale PECVD apparatus. ... An optical coating is a thin layer of material placed on an optical component such as a lens or mirror which alters the way in which the optic reflects and transmits light. ... A mirror, reflecting a vase. ... The optical spectrum (light or visible spectrum) is the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that is visible to the human eye. ...

Pure aluminium has a low tensile strength, but when combined with thermo-mechanical processing, aluminium alloys display a marked improvement in mechanical properties, especially when tempered. Aluminium alloys form vital components of aircraft and rockets as a result of their high strength-to-weight ratio. Aluminium readily forms alloys with many elements such as copper, zinc, magnesium, manganese and silicon (e.g., duralumin). Today, almost all bulk metal materials that are referred to loosely as "aluminium," are actually alloys. For example, the common aluminium foils are alloys of 92% to 99% aluminium.^[14] Tensile strength isthe measures the force required to pull something such as rope, wire, or a structural beam to the point where it breaks. ... Tempering is a heat treatment technique for metals and alloys. ... Flying machine redirects here. ... This article is about vehicles powered by rocket engines. ... General Name, symbol, number zinc, Zn, 30 Chemical series transition metals Group, period, block 12, 4, d Appearance bluish pale gray Standard atomic weight 65. ... General Name, symbol, number magnesium, Mg, 12 Chemical series alkaline earth metals Group, period, block 2, 3, s Appearance silvery white solid at room temp Standard atomic weight 24. ... General Name, symbol, number manganese, Mn, 25 Chemical series transition metals Group, period, block 7, 4, d Appearance silvery metallic Standard atomic weight 54. ... Not to be confused with Silicone. ... Duralumin (also called duraluminum, duraluminium or dural) is the trade name of one of the earliest types of age-hardenable aluminium alloys. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Some of the many uses for aluminium metal are in:

household aluminium foil

Transportation (automobiles, aircraft, trucks, railway cars, marine vessels, bicycles etc.)
Packaging (cans, foil, etc.)
Water treatment
Treatment against fish parasites such as Gyrodactylus salaris.
Construction (windows, doors, siding, building wire, etc.)
Cooking utensils
Electrical transmission lines for power distribution
MKM steel and Alnico magnets
Super purity aluminium (SPA, 99.980% to 99.999% Al), used in electronics and CDs.
Heat sinks for electronic appliances such as transistors and CPUs.
Powdered aluminium is used in paint, and in pyrotechnics such as solid rocket fuels and thermite.
In the blades of prop swords and knives used in stage combat.
Aluminium is widely used in watch production as it provides durability and resists tarnishing and corrosion.^[15]

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1984x1784, 2406 KB) Summary I took it myself. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1984x1784, 2406 KB) Summary I took it myself. ... Car redirects here. ... For other uses, see Truck (disambiguation). ... A railroad car (or, more briefly, car), also known as an item of rolling stock in British parlance, is a vehicle on a railroad or railway that is not a locomotive - one that provides another purpose than purely haulage, although some types of car are powered. ... For other uses, see Bicycle (disambiguation). ... The aluminum can (North American English spelling) or aluminium can (other English spelling) is a popular beverage container introduced by the Coors Brewing Company. ... Control room and schematics of the water purification plant to Bret lake. ... Gyrodactylus salaris is a small monogenean ectoparasite (about 0. ... For other uses, see Window (disambiguation). ... This article is about the architectural feature. ... Corrugated steel siding, for the side of a barn. ... This is a list of food preparation utensils, also known as kitchenware. ... Transmission towers Transmission lines in Lund, Sweden Electric power transmission, or more accurately Electrical energy transmission, is the second process in the delivery of electricity to consumers. ... MKM steel, an alloy containing nickel and aluminum, was developed in 1931 by the Japanese metallurgist Tokuhichi Mishima. ... Alnico is an acronym[1] referring to alloys which are composed primarily of aluminium (symbol Al), nickel (symbol Ni) and cobalt (symbol Co), hence al-ni-co, with the addition of iron, copper, and sometimes titanium, typically 8-12% Al, 15-26% Ni, 5-24% Co, up to 6% Cu... CD redirects here. ... This article is about the substance or device. ... Assorted discrete transistors A transistor is a semiconductor device, commonly used as an amplifier or an electrically controlled switch. ... CPU redirects here. ... For other uses, see Paint (disambiguation). ... The word pyrotechnic (literally meaning fire technology) refers to any chemical explosive device, but especially fireworks. ... The Space Shuttle is initially launched with the help of solid-fuel boosters A Solid rocket or a solid fuel rocket is a rocket with a motor that uses solid propellants (fuel/oxidizer). ... A thermite mixture using Iron (III) Oxide A thermite mixture using Iron (II,III) Oxide Thermite is a kind of pyrotechnic composition of aluminium powder and a metal oxide which produces an aluminothermic reaction known as a thermite reaction. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Swiss longsword, 15th or 16th century Look up Sword in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... traditional Norse knife A knife is a sharp-edged hand tool used for cutting. ... Actresses Uma Thurman (rig

Contents

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