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Because of its unique properties, aluminium is one of the most commonly utilised metals in the industrial sector, and commercial production of the metal began in the late nineteenth century. The element is found in its natural state in combination with oxygen and other elements, and it is the third most prevalent metal in the earth’s crust. It is readily machined and has a Face Centred Cubic (FCC) structure, which makes it very versatile. Because of their low density and high heat conductivity, aluminium alloys are a viable alternative to ferrous materials in tribological applications. Alloying, cold working and heat treatment may all be used to modify the microstructure of aluminium alloys, as well as enhance the mechanical characteristics of the alloys. The present work is primarily concerned with the investigation of the effect of composition variation on the wear characteristics and compressive strength of the aluminium alloy Al6463, which was accomplished by varying the compositions of the two major alloying elements, Magnesium (Mg) and Silicon (Si), in the alloy.
Material Properties of Aluminum and Aluminum Alloys
Aluminum is a metal-like element having both metallic and nonmetallic characteristics that is found in the boron and carbon families. It is found in the elemental elements boron and carbon. Despite the fact that aluminium is one of the most plentiful materials on the planet, it must be obtained from bauxite ore and undergo a manufacturing process before it can be used to make economically pure and viable aluminium.
A numbered 4-digit series, 1xxx to 8xxx, is used to categorise aluminium according to the alloying elements present in the metal.
Copper, magnesium, manganese, silicon, and zinc are just a few of the elements that are frequently added. There are hundreds of different alloy compositions that can be made with these.
The look and fabricability of these specific metal compositions are affected. When compared to pure aluminium, the addition of elements enhances the strength, workability, corrosion resistance, electrical conductivity, and density of the material.
Physical Properties
Aluminum’s physical attributes are related to its visible shape and structure before it has been subjected to any chemical modification.
Aluminium’s Physical Properties are described below:
Color and State | It is solid, nonmagnetic, non-lustrous, silvery-white in colour with a little bluish tinge, and it is nonmagnetic. |
Structure | Aluminum has a face-centred cubic structure that is stable up to the point of melting, and it is also lightweight. |
Surface | Aluminum surfaces can be highly reflective. |
Hardness | Commercially pure aluminium is soft. When alloyed and tempered, it gains additional strength. |
Ductility | High ductility. Aluminium can be beaten very thin. |
Malleability | High malleability. Aluminium is extremely malleable and may be bent or curved in a variety of ways. |
Thermal Expansion | Aluminum has a thermal expansion coefficient of 23.2. This is between Zinc, which has a greater range of use, and steel, which has a range of applications that is half that of aluminium. |
Conductivity | Good electrical and thermal conductors. |
Corrosion | Aluminum is corrosion resistant owing to the presence of a self-protecting oxide layer on its surface. |
Density | Aluminum has a low density of 2.70 grams per cubic centimetre as measured by gravity in comparison to water. When compared to the density of iron/steel, which is 7.87, this is a significant difference. |
Melting Point and Boiling Point | Aluminum is a metal with a melting point of roughly 1220°F and a boiling temperature of approximately 4,478°F. It is commercially pure aluminium. Once aluminium is alloyed, the properties of the metal alter. |
Chemical Properties
When a substance experiences a chemical change or reaction, the characteristics or behaviour of the substance changes. In other words, it is necessary to disturb the atoms of a substance in order to see its chemical characteristics. While the reaction is in progress and after it is finished, scientists may observe the atomic-level disruption that has occurred.
Aluminium’s Chemical Properties are discussed in detail below:
Occurrence | Aluminum occurs naturally as a compound, with the majority of it being found in bauxite ore. |
Oxidation | When aluminium is exposed to wet air, it forms aluminium oxide, which is a compound of aluminium and oxygen. |
Pyrophorus | When aluminium is in powdered form, it will quickly catch fire if it is exposed to a source of heat. |
Ability to form alloys | There are hundreds of different aluminium alloy compositions. Iron, copper, manganese, silicon, magnesium, and zinc are some of the alloyed components, as are other metals. |
Reactivity with water | Aluminum reacts quite fast when exposed to hot water. |
Reactivity with alkalis | Reactive with sodium hydroxide. |
Reactivity with acid | Aluminum interacts with hot acids and forms aluminium oxide. |
Mechanical Properties
Mechanical characteristics are used to describe a material’s connection between stress and strain, as well as to assess its degree of elasticity in reaction to an applied load.
Aluminium’s Mechanical Properties are described in detail below:
Elasticity in tension | 10000 ksi is Young’s modulus of aluminium. In comparison, copper has a tensile strength of 17550 ksi while wood has a tensile strength of 1595 ksi. |
Tensile strength ultimate | 13,000 Psi |
Yield strength | 5,000 Psi |
Bearing yield strength | 23100 Psi |
Elongation at break | 15-28% |
Shear Strength | 9000 Psi |
Fatigue strength | 5000 Psi |
Conclusion
The aluminium alloy is often regarded as the most preferred metal by those working in the industrial business. This is owing in part to the fact that it has excellent corrosion resistance, high strength, and low density. In addition, aluminium is non-toxic, which makes it an excellent choice for any application that includes the packaging of food goods.
