2.

High-rise buildings

With its high malleability, high strength to weight ratio, and versatility, aluminium is a valuable material
at the heart of high-rise buildings and skyscrapers. It is also an ideal material because of its durability,
design flexibility, and contributions to energy savings, both front-end and back-end.

Furthermore, skyscrapers would weigh considerably more if steel were used, which would require
building foundations to be deeper and add to the construction costs.

Construction

Buildings made with aluminum are virtually maintenance free due to aluminum’s resistance to
corrosion. Aluminum is also thermally efficient, which keeps homes warm in winter and cool in summer.
Add the fact that aluminum has a pleasing finish and can be curved, cut and welded to any desired
shape, it allows modern architects unlimited freedom to create buildings that would be impossible to
make from wood, plastic, or steel.

The London Aquatics Centre

The first building in which aluminum was widely used was the Empire State Building in New York, built in
1931. Today, aluminum is regularly used in the construction of high-rise buildings and bridges. The
lighter weight of aluminum makes it easier, faster and more convenient to work with. It also helps
reduce other costs. A building constructed of steel would require much deeper foundations due to the
added weight, which would drive up construction costs.

Notable modern buildings made from aluminum include the Bank of China headquarters in Hong Kong
and Zaha Hadid’s London Aquatics Centre in London.

3. Window frames

Aluminium frames are generally a quite durable, cost-effective option for homes and offices. They are
also lightweight and can be made impact-resistant, which is useful in places that experience high winds
and powerful storms.

Using aluminium for window frames is usually lower-maintenance and less expensive than wood, and is
also more resistant to scratching, cracking, and marring. However, one of the major disadvantages of
using aluminium frames is that they are not as energy efficient as wood, nor do they offer the same level
of insulation.

4. Consumer electronics
Smartphones, tablets, laptops, flat-screen TVs, computer monitors, and other electronics are
increasingly using aluminium in their production. Aluminium combines beauty and practicality, with the
ability to look sophisticated yet reliable. These are essential features for the electronics industry.

Electronics manufacturers have recently been implementing aluminium to replace steel and plastic. It
was used primarily for cooling CPU and graphics processors, with its excellent heat conductivity making
it an ideal choice. Newer models of electronics are featuring aluminium bodies and casing components.

Aluminium is stronger and more reliable than plastic yet lighter than steel, which, combined with its
innate ability to absorb and dissipate heat, has led to an increase in aluminium usage amongst market-
leading manufacturers.

Aluminium Properties

Past, Present and Future: Aluminium Alloys in the Aerospace Industry

7. Spacecraft components

The advancement of spacecraft and rocket technology is directly tied to the advancement of aluminium
alloys. From the first prototype engines to NASA’s use of an aluminium-lithium alloy, this material has
been part of the space program since its inception.

Similar to aircraft, aluminium’s strength to weight ratio, resistance to corrosion, and ductility are ideal
properties for something that needs to be strong and light, with zero room for malfunction. Spacecraft
windows are also a particularly great application of materials science: one way of making them is
aluminium oxynitride, which is actually a transparent ceramic we use to make things bulletproof.

Something even more impressive, however, is that aluminium-niobium alloys used in spacecraft are able
to endure the heat concentrated inside the Falcon 9’s engine.

8. Ships

Light and strong materials bode well for ships, especially ones that fill the hull with cargo. Aluminium’s
lightweight properties allow for more surface and less mass – without compromising the strength that is
necessary to withstand cracks and breaches in the hull.

This allows for more weight to be loaded in the form of goods, people, or fuel. In addition to tankers and
large ships, aluminium is used in constructing yachts, speedboats, and underwater vessels. Most
sporting boats are also built from aluminium, from keel to mast, which gives them a speed advantage in
races and adds excitement to leisure activity.

9. Trains
Trains can function very well using iron and steel, as they have for centuries. But why not improve upon
a design if you are able to do so? Using aluminium components in place of steel can have advantages:
aluminium is easier to form and improves efficiency.

While railways were once made mainly from iron, many elements of modern trains are made from
aluminium. In fact, aluminium’s strength-to-weight ratio is one of the main factors that makes train
speeds of over 350 km/h possible.

The aluminium alloys used in these high-speed rail carriages have lower density but comparable
strength to steel, as well as excellent corrosion resistance that helps with maintenance. Furthermore,
aluminium alloy cables are increasingly being used as a substitute for traditional copper cables in railway
transmissions and installations.

10. Personal vehicles

Aluminium is billed as the most cost-effective and environmentally-friendly way to increase

performance, boost fuel economy, and reduce emissions while improving safety and durability.

Whether it is personal vehicles, like an average Ford sedan, or a luxury car model, like a Mercedes
Benz, aluminium is increasingly the “material of choice” for automobile manufacturers due to its
strength and environmental advantages.

Vehicles can be lighter and more nimble without losing out on strength or durability. This is also
advantageous as cars can be more easily recycled, adding a level of sustainability to using aluminium in
vehicles.

Transportation

Aluminum is used in transportation because of its unbeatable strength to weight ratio. Its lighter weight
means that less force is required to move the vehicle, leading to greater fuel efficiency. Although
aluminum is not the strongest metal, alloying it with other metals helps to increase its strength. Its
corrosion resistance is an added bonus, eliminating the need for heavy and expensive anti-corrosion
coatings.

While the auto industry still relies heavily on steel, the drive to increase fuel efficiency and reduce CO2
emissions has led to a much wider use of aluminum. Experts predict that the average aluminum content
in a car will increase by 60% by 2025.

A Shinkansen E6 train

High-speed rail systems like the Shinkansen in Japan and the Maglev in Shanghai also use aluminum. The
metal allows designers to reduce the weight of the trains, cutting down on friction resistance.

Aluminum is also known as the ‘winged metal’ because it is ideal for aircraft; again, due to being light,
strong and flexible. In fact, aluminum was used in the frames of Zeppelin airships before airplanes had
even been invented. Today, modern aircraft use aluminum alloys throughout, from the fuselage to the
cockpit instruments. Even spacecraft, such as space shuttles, contain 50% to 90% of aluminum alloys in
their parts.

Consumer Goods

Aluminum’s appearance is the reason it is used frequently in consumer goods.

Smartphones, tablets, laptops, and flat screen TVs are being made with an increasing amount of
aluminum. Its appearance makes modern tech gadgets look sleek and sophisticated while being light
and durable. It is the perfect combination of form and function which is critical for consumer products.
More and more, aluminum is replacing plastic and steel components, as it is stronger and tougher than
plastic and lighter than steel. It also allows heat to dissipate quickly, keeping electronic devices from
overheating.

Apple uses predominantly aluminum parts in its iPhones and MacBooks. Other hi-end electronics brands
like audio manufacturer Bang & Olufsen also heavily favor aluminum.

Interior designers enjoy using aluminum as it’s easy to shape and looks great. Furniture items made
from aluminum include tables, chairs, lamps, picture frames and decorative panels.

Of course, the foil in your kitchen is aluminum, as well as pots and frying pans which are frequently
made from aluminum. These Aluminum products conduct heat well, are non-toxic, resistant to rust, and
are easy to clean.

Architectural

Because aluminium is both strong and lightweight it is ideal for architectural applications. The high
strength to weight ratio means that it can be fixed to buildings using less fixings than steel for example.
Used as both the cladding panels as sheet and the panel framework as extrusion, it is a good radiator of
heat and with a anodised finish, it requires minimal maintenance.

Because it is also relatively easy to fabricate, it can be cut, curved, punched and folded to the desired
style and look of the architects needs. This allows the modern architects to have freedom in creating a
building that they desire and achieve necessary surface treatment like anodising. A good example of
how aluminium has been used to enhance both the design and practicality of a building is the Greenwich
Energy Centre.

Consumer Goods

As aluminium is easier to handle and is efficient, it is commonly used in the production of different
consumer goods. From flat screen TVs, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and even some household items,
aluminium makes it look modern yet sophisticated with its finish.

The metal has excellent heat conductivity meaning that it is widely used as heatsinks in electrical
appliances.

Electrical
Aluminium has a low density that makes it a good option for long distance power lines. This is more
ductile compared to copper, which enables it to be merged easily with wires. Being resistant to
corrosion is exceptionally beneficial in the electrical industry to protect the cables from the harsh
elements.

In the past few weeks we've been championing aluminium and it's evidential usefulness both in the
past, present and (potentially) future. Differentiating between the various metals encountered in our
day to day is not something the average person thinks much about, but once you're more 'metal-
literate', the world can look very different indeed! Thus, in this blog we're going to show you 5 of the
most common applications of aluminium; perhaps in places you never would have quite expected.

#5 - Precision Tubing in motor vehicles, refrigerators, air conditioning, solar panels etc.

As we've explained elsewhere on the blog before, the use of pure aluminium is very rare in the
commercial world. Usually the non-ferrous metal is mixed with other metals to create an alloy
depending on the desired use. When this comes to precision tubing, the strong heat transfer
applications allow it to be used extensively for the automotive, AC and solar market industries, as well as
for carrying liquids or gases. It's been noted as being very similar to plastic in how it can be worked upon
without breaking, and for being very widely recycled.

#4 - Power Lines

Aluminium's light weight and durability would make it an ideal candidate for transporting energy across
long distances, but as a pretty poor conductor it needs to be mixed with the properties of copper (which
is normally too heavy and expensive to do the job on its own), or better yet, boron. The ability to
withstand corrosion and general lack of a need for a costly support structure is a plus, and the
aluminium alloys themselves are often reinforced with steel - a true  match made in metal heaven!

#3 - Rolled Aluminium products

One of the few explicit uses of aluminium in more common everyday use, by its more informal title tin
foil is produced through the metalworking process of 'rolling', whereby sheet ingots are cast from
molten billet aluminium, then re-rolled on sheet and foil rolling mills to the desired thickness (or lack
thereof), or by continuously casting and cold rolling. Impermeable to oxygen and water, it can be used
to not only cook food but also to keep it fresh as well, thus its a very rare day indeed in which you don't
spot a bit of tin foil somewhere.

#2 - Heat sinks for cooling CPU's and graphics processors

The heavy thermal, corrosion and biofouling resistance of aluminium alloys, plus its thermal
conductivity, have made them the key material of choice for most commercial heat sinks. These are
passive heat exchangers that cool a device (typically a microprocessor or graphics card) by dissipating
heat from the device to the environment. Heat sinks come in the form of the copper foil of a circuit
board or a separate device, and is attached through a variety of methods including thermally conductive
tape or epoxy.
#1 - Construction

A no-brainer really; aluminium is pretty much necessary in construction work! From skylights to bridges
and ladders to railings, whether implemented as rods, doors or wiring, the low maintenance and ability
to paint, mould and join with other materials leaves little reason to not consider it for your chosen
project. We see aluminium daily without even thinking about it, and undoubtedly the use of aluminium
angles, tubes and boxes in construction are just a few of its biggest starring roles.

Human civilizations have both benefited from and been impeded by the

technological innovations, inventions and engineering applications used within
societies to perform specific tasks. Examples of Modern Materials Kevlar, Nomex,
Fluorescent fabric, Reflective fabrics

High performance aramid fibre (which means it is from the nylon family) that is very strong,
lightweight, flame and chemical resistant and five times stronger than steel of the same weight. Used for
bullet proof vests, to strengthen tyres, lining aircraft petrol tanks, safety gloves, skateboards, oil rig
cables.

Nomex High performance aramid fibre that is flame and chemical retardant, durable, anti static, low
shrinkage and resistant to oil. It is used for fire fighters clothing, racing driver suits, seating on public
transport, oven gloves.

Fluorescent fabrics Fluorescent fabrics look ultra bright because of the way the colours absorb and emit
light. UV rays react with the colour making them appear bright to the eye. Note that the colour itself
never changes, it is just the way our eye sees them, which is why fluorescent fabrics are modern and not
smart. The colours appear brightest in low light and dull weather conditions. Reflective

Reflective fabrics Minute glass beads are embedded into yarns, fabrics, dyes and coatings. When light is
shone on the surface the beads reflect light back into the viewer’s eye making the fabric appear shiny
and bright. Note that the fabric itself never changes, it is just the way our eye sees them, which is why
reflective fabrics are modern and not smart. Reflective fabrics are often used for safety and protection
e.g. uniforms, workwear, cycling wear. Reflective and fluorescent fabrics are often used together in
products as both work in different types of light.

Phosphorescent Phosphorescent means ‘glow in the dark’. Phosphorescent pigments are micro
encapsulated into yarns, fabrics, dyes, beads etc. The pigments absorb UV light which is then released as
a glow when there is no light around.

Fluorescent fabrics Fluorescent fabrics look ultra bright because of the way the colours absorb and emit
light. UV rays react with the colour making them appear bright to the eye. Note that the colour itself
never changes, it is just the way our eye sees them, which is why fluorescent fabrics are modern and not
smart. The colours appear brightest in low light and dull weather conditions.

Carbon Fibre is a modern material that has a wide range of applications due to its
excellent strength-weight ratio and high tensile strength. It consists of microscopic (10μm)
fibres made predominantly from bonded carbon atom crystals that are aligned along the fibre
to give incredible tensile strength. Several thousand of these are then bundled together into a
'tow' and used on its own or woven into fabric.

Carbon fibre if often used in composite materials to add strength and 'reinforce' the materials
properties, typically with polymers. They are known as CFRP's and used extensively in
the automotive industry, aerospace  and for a range of sports due to the high strength-weight
ratio and strong impact resistance. Although often a performance increase over aluminium and
other materials, CFRP's are high in cost due to the manufacturing process required to make
them.
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Polymorph is a thermoplastic that can be moulded at low temperatures (62°C) and set when
cooled. Through the application of hot water the granules soften and
become malleable, allowing the user to mould and shape the material with their hands. Although
the cost of the material is high, it allows easy 3D modelling in plastic without any expensive
machinery or tooling. It can be reheated continuously to be moulded for different applications. 

Applications of Polymorph are mainly at the design/prototyping stage as a way to quickly test

the form, fit or ergonomics of a part due to its malleability. It is often used in DIY repairs due
to its high strength when set and can be painted for use in modelling and art.  
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Kevlar is a trademarked material made of a para-aramid synthetic fibre, essentially
incredibly strong, heat resistant, man-made fibre. The fibres are often spun into ropes or
fabric sheets and commonly used as a composite additive due to its incredibly high tensile
strength-weight ratio. It is this property which gives Kevlar its wide ranging applications and
popularity.

Kevlar is used in stab/bullet proof vests due to its high tensile strength that allows it to absorb
energy from impact. It has been found to have excellent acoustic properties for use in speaker
cones and used for a range of instruments to improve their durability. Equally, its tensile
strength has been used in the sports industries for tennis, fencing, running, cycling and archery. 
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Gore-Tex is a trademarked material developed from Teflon as a breathable, water-proof
membrane for use in textiles. It's unique property is that it is impermeable one way but will
allow water vapour to pass through the other. This makes it ideal for sportswear as it allows
the user to stay dry whilst allowing airflow to the body and restricts wind flow in keeping the
user warm. 

Although mainly use for outdoor textiles, Gore-Tex has been used for medical implants as it
is inert inside the body and allows tissue to regrow through the material and integrate itself
within the body. A sister product known as 'Windstopper' has the same breathable properties
but is not waterproof and instead elastic. 
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Teflon, known as Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), is a non-reactive fluoropolymer that is
used in non-stick coatings due to its hydrophobic properties and high heat resistance. It also
has incredibly low friction making it suited for coating mechanical bearing and
sliding mechanisms in industry.  A vast majority (50%) of PTFE is manufactured for use
as wiring insulators and connector sockets for it's excellent dielectricproperties over all other
materials.

Commonly Teflon can be found in non-stick cookware as it will repel moisture and prevent
food from sticking to the base of the pan. It is often only applied as a coating and can be easily
damaged reducing its affect. The non-reactive properties of Teflon equally make its suited
to piping and chemical storage as a way of preventing corrosion.