Did you know aluminum is the most abundant metal on earth? 8.1% of the earth's crust is composed of aluminum!
Unlike gold or silver, aluminum is not found in a pure state. It must be refined before use. It wasn't until the late 1820's when aluminum was finally refined and made into a metal. It wasn't until 1925 when the last "i" in aluminum was dropped, changing it to aluminum. It is non-sparking and non-magnetic metal. It is the second most common metal we use in our everyday lives. Kitchen utensils, car parts, toys, nuts & bolts, trays and foil are just a few of the aluminum items we use daily. Did you there are seven (7) different series of aluminum? Each of these series has its own sub sets of numbers and each sub set has varied properties, uses, and hardness. Series 1000 (1100 & 1200) is the purest aluminum in use. It has the best corrosion resistance of all the aluminum series. Series 2000 (2008, 10, 11, 17, 26 & 2117) ads copper to this aluminum alloy. Cooper allows the 200 series to have properties similar to mild steel. Series 3000 (3002, 03, 04, 05 & 3102) adds a small amount of magnesium for corrosion resistance and formability. The 3000 and 5000 series are very similar. Series 4000 (4004, 32, 43, 45, 4104 & 4343) adds silicon to this aluminum alloy. Silicon allows the 4000 series to be melted and reformed without causing the form to become brittle Series 5000 ( 5005, 52, 5182, 5252, 5454,57,5657 & 5754) also adds magnesium to this aluminum alloy. Because series 5000 aluminum adds more magnesium than the series 3000 the 5000 series aluminum can be heat-treated. Series 6000 (6009, 10,22,53,61,63,82,6111 & 6463) adds magnesium and silicon to this aluminum alloy. Series 6000 aluminum is the most versatile of the aluminum alloys and is widely used for machining and extruding. Because this series contains silicon, it can also be heat-treated. Series 7000 (7003,04,21,72,7116 & 29) adds zinc to this aluminum alloy. Zinc allows the 7000 series to be heat-treated and become high strength aluminum.
