In this blog post, we will look at how aluminum, which appears fragile, gained strength and functionality through alloying and became a key material in high-tech industries.
When walking down the street, you can see shiny foreign cars such as Audis and BMWs. Would you believe that these beautiful cars are actually made of a material that looks as plain as foil? The material in question is aluminum alloy, which is the topic of this article. When most people think of aluminum, they think of a weak, bendable material like foil, but aluminum is not only used for foil, reflectors, and lighting tools, it also plays an important role in various industries, such as car bodies, ship parts, aircraft fuselages, and fuel tanks. It is both interesting and important to understand the characteristics of aluminum that allow it to be used in such a wide variety of applications. How can aluminum, which looks plain and weak, be used to make such cool and strong objects? All of these products contain aluminum, but what makes them so strong and unique?
When aluminum was first discovered and produced in 1825, it was sold at a very high price. Researchers decided that using aluminum in other products was not economically viable and turned their attention to other materials. However, as technology advanced, the process of extracting pure aluminum from impure aluminum became simpler, and the price of aluminum fell. With aluminum becoming more economical, research into its properties and applications began in earnest. Initially, its low strength made it difficult to use in objects, but research continued with a focus on utilizing aluminum’s light weight. As a result, researchers came up with the idea of mixing aluminum with other metals to create aluminum alloys.
The development of aluminum alloys did not stop with lower prices and improved processing technology. The evolution of this material has enabled innovation in various industries. For example, in the aircraft industry, the lightness and strength of aluminum alloys have contributed to improving fuel efficiency and enabling longer flights. In the automotive industry, aluminum alloys have helped reduce vehicle weight, improving fuel efficiency while also increasing passenger safety in the event of a collision. This was not simply a change in materials, but a major turning point that, combined with technological advances, changed the way we live.
Aluminum alloys are divided into 1000-7000 series alloys for processing and casting alloys, depending on what metals they are alloyed with, whether they have been heat treated, and what they are used for. Looking at a few series, the first is the 1000 series aluminum alloy, which is pure aluminum. It has low strength and is used in reflectors and lighting fixtures, but it also has high corrosion resistance and is used in chemical industry tanks. Second, 2000 series aluminum alloys are alloys of aluminum, copper, and magnesium, which have good workability and are used for spring materials and aircraft materials that require precision. Third, 5000 series aluminum alloys are alloys of aluminum and magnesium with good moldability and are used to make large materials such as shipbuilding materials, fuel tanks, and pressure vessels. Finally, 7000 series aluminum alloys are alloys of aluminum, zinc, and magnesium that boast the highest strength and are used as materials for transportation vehicles such as aircraft and automobile bodies.
Even now, various aluminum alloy products play an important role in our lives, but there are issues that need to be resolved in order for aluminum alloys to be used in more places. That is the verification of aluminum’s safety. News reports that aluminum is harmful to the human body have created a negative perception of aluminum, and recent research findings that large amounts of aluminum have been detected in the bodies of Alzheimer’s patients have led to a growing number of people who are reluctant to use aluminum cans and containers. These concerns are factors that many people must carefully consider when using aluminum. If the safety of aluminum can be verified, aluminum alloys will be used in a wider range of applications, and I believe that aluminum alloys will become a representative building material for future buildings. This is not just a prediction, but a realistic scenario based on ongoing technological developments and research.
