- Until the discovery of bauxite deposits in Italy, the needs of the European continent were met from deposits in Anatolia.
- Commercial aluminum production first began in 1889.
- As the cost of the electrolysis method, which was started to be used in 1914, was reduced to a reasonable level, there was an increase in the consumption capacity.
- Aluminum is the most used metallic material after steel.
- While iron is found at a rate of about 5% in the earth’s crust, aluminum, which is silver in color, is found at 8%.
- The high displacement probability of atoms increases the deformability of the material. In this way, thin plates up to 0.008 mm thick can be produced from aluminum.
- The main reason why aluminum and its alloys are highly preferred in the industry is the high strength/density ratio, electrical conductivity/density ratio and corrosion resistance of aluminum and its alloys.
- It is a great advantage that it can become a thin sheet and has a high ability to conduct electricity and heat.
- At the beginning of the consumption area, construction takes the first four places with 27%, automotive sector 25%, packaging industry 15% and electricity 10%.
- Another important area of use of aluminum is as a coating material to protect metal surfaces from corrosion by being added to paint in powder form.
- Aluminum ranks 13th on the periodic table.
- Due to the 3 valence electrons, it has very good electrical and thermal conductivity values.
- It is possible to reduce global warming and fossil fuel use by 94% by recycling aluminum products that have completed their useful life.
- According to 2015 figures, China produces 31.52 million tons of primary aluminum and 5.78 million tons of secondary aluminum. Brazil ranks second in aluminum production.
- About 80 kg of aluminum is used in a normal car.
- Since aluminum is 3 times lighter than iron and steel, it is a great advantage to be used in vehicles. The aluminum used in beverage packaging, which is popularly called tin can, is 0.27 mm thick and can withstand up to 6 bar internal pressure.
- The electrical conductivity value is 63% of the same amount of copper. Aluminum materials occupy a large place in electrical engineering applications due to their high transmission ability.
- By putting 1 ton of aluminum scrap into the remanufacturing process, approximately 0.9 tons of new aluminum material can be produced.
REFERENCES:
CAR, Erman. An Overview of Secondary Aluminum Production . Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects, Journal of the Chamber of Metallurgical Engineers. 42-50 .
ÇAKANYILDIRIM, Ç., & Metin, G. Ü. R. U. (2021). Developments in aluminum production technologies, their impact on the environment and application areas. Journal of Polytechnic , 24 (2), 585-592.
