Consisting of about 8.2% of the Earth’s crust, aluminum is the world’s most abundant metal. However, it is never found in nature as an elemental metal but only combined with oxygen and other elements. In other words, aluminum often means aluminum alloy. AA AAIA-2015: Aluminum and Its Alloys covers the characteristics and designations of aluminum and its alloys.
What Are the Everyday Uses of Aluminum?
Aluminum (Aluminium) is a silver-white, soft metal, noted for lightness, high reflectivity, high thermal conductivity, malleability, high electrical conductivity, nontoxicity, and corrosion resistance. With particular emphasis on manufacturability, recyclability, and corrosion resistance, AA AAIA-2015 notes that it is these properties of aluminum and its alloys that give rise to their widespread usage in various industries, such as:
- Packaging (foils, coils, and other wrapping materials)
- Architectural (structural support, windows, doors, cladding, anodized finishes, etc.)
- Transportation (aircraft, car, ships, bicycles, and rail transport)
- Chemical (activated alumina, aluminum hydroxide, and aluminum foil)
- Electrical (transmission and distribution, building wiring, renewables energy, electronic components, antenna, radar construction, transformers and motors, busbar electronic, induction motors, etc.)
- Many general applications (wheelchairs, surgical equipment, walkers, crutches, refrigerators, air conditioners, cooking utensils, etc.)
What Is AA AAIA-2015?
AA AAIA-2015 is a report that details specifications regarding aluminum and its alloys. It discusses how alloys are designated: aluminum wrought and cast alloys are specified in Tables 1 and 2 of AA AAIA-2015, and Table 3 details temper designation.
The document also covers the advantageous characteristics of aluminum and its alloys that make it ideal for applications in the electrical, automotive, aerospace, transportation, packaging, petrochemical, and building & construction industries—most notably:
- Low density, about one-third that of steel
- High strength-to-density ratio
- High strength, ductility & toughness at subzero & cryogenic temperatures
- Superior corrosion resistance
- Very high electrical conductivity
- Exceptional toughness in specific alloys
- Fabricability, including by rolling, extrusion, drawing, forging, and casting
- Weldability by most commercial processes
- Recyclability, back into the same high-quality products
- Ability to be used as a composite with a range of other materials
What Are the Key Qualities of Aluminum?
Aluminum is an extremely resourceful metal with a multitude of uses due to its many key qualities, including:
- Strength-to-weight ratio: Aluminum is very light but still durable, making it a good choice for applications where strength and weight are important, such as in the automotive and aerospace industry. Higher strengths can be obtained by adding one or more of the following: manganese, silicon, copper, magnesium, or zinc.
- Strong: Aluminum profiles can be made as strong as needed for most applications. When temperature falls, it becomes even stronger, so it is most commonly used material in cold area.
- Corrosion resistance: Aluminum is more resistant to corrosion than most metals due to the presence of a thin, hard protective film of aluminum oxide that bonds tenaciously to the surface.
- Thermal conductivity: Aluminum is an excellent conductor of heat and cold, making it ideal for applications requiring heat exchangers, refrigerator evaporators, and engine components.
- Reflectivity: Aluminum’s reflectivity is important for both aesthetic and functional reasons.
- Recyclable: Aluminum is 100% recyclable and can be reused many times without losing quality, helping contribute to a more circular and sustainable economy. The Aluminum Association notes that around 75% of all aluminum ever produced is still in use today and that aluminum is one of the most recycled and recyclable materials in use today.
- Ductility: Aluminum is ductile, meaning it can be drawn into shapes like wires, coils, or threads without cracking or deforming.
- Lightweight: Aluminum is about one-third the weight of iron, steel, copper, or brass. Lightweight aluminum is easier to handle, less expensive to ship and is an attractive material for applications in fields such as aerospace, high-rise construction, and automotive design.
- Non-magnetic: Since aluminum is nonmagnetic, it is useful for high-voltage applications, as well as for electronics.
- Malleable: Aluminum can be shaped into different forms without breaking.
AA AAIA-2015: Aluminum and Its Alloys is available on the ANSI Webstore.