Article
Article
Aluminum
Article By:
Russell, Allen S. Alcoa Laboratories, Aluminum Company of America, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Last reviewed:July 2019
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.026400
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A chemical element, Al, with an atomic number of 13, and an atomic weight of 26.982. Pure aluminum is soft and lacks strength, but it can be alloyed with other elements to increase strength and impart a number of useful properties. Alloys of aluminum are light, strong, and readily formable by many metalworking processes; they can be easily joined, cast, or machined, and accept a wide variety of finishes. Because of its many desirable physical, chemical, and metallurgical properties, aluminum has become the most widely used nonferrous metal. See also: Aluminum alloys; Periodic table
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