How to make aluminium alloys stronger

How to make aluminium alloys stronger

A standard aluminium alloy is approximately one third the weight of steel. Considering that through alloying and other strengthening options, it is possible to create high performance aluminium that approaches the strength of steel, consider that pure aluminium, while highly flexible, is not very strong and has few commercial applications. The first step in obtaining high quality, high strength aluminium is therefore to alloy it with other elements.

What made aluminium such an important metal was the early experiments of chemists and engineers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. When pure aluminium is combined with other metals and elements, its chemical composition is fundamentally changed, which enhances its strength. Whenever you buy aluminium from a material supplier, it will be one of many commercially available alloys. As each alloy has significantly different properties, it is important that you know which one is more suitable for your application.

Some common aluminium alloy elements include silicon, magnesium, manganese, zinc, molybdenum and copper. The aluminium and zinc grades of these alloys have a higher strength. Remember that while strength is a consideration when making an alloy, the addition of other elements can affect other properties of the metal such as density, workability, electrical conductivity and corrosion resistance.

If you are not familiar with aluminium, the various alloys are identified according to a four-digit numbering system, with the first digit indicating a general category based on the main alloying element. The 2xxx series has copper as the main alloying agent, the 6xxx series contains both silicon and magnesium and the 7xxx series is usually one of the high-strength aluminium alloys and contains zinc.