Aluminum is used for various purposes in manufacturing, construction, and utensils. In this article, we shall discuss aluminum strength and rigidity, in detail.
Aluminum is not strong in pure form and but aluminum alloys increase its strength. It is lightweight and flexible. The void density of aluminum is 1013-1014 voids/cm3 which makes it flexible. The tensile strength of aluminum in its pure form is 90 MPa. It has good corrosion resistivity along with good conductivity.
Aluminum has good conductivity due to its valence electrons in the outer shell. We shall further discuss various properties of aluminum, its ductility, brittleness, and malleability, and compare its ductility with metals like steel and brass. We shall also discuss whether copper is more malleable than aluminum or not.
Is aluminum ductile?
The ductility of the metal determines its stiffness and its ability to deform without degrading its toughness. Let us discuss whether aluminum is ductile or not.
Aluminum is ductile due to its low metal density and thus it can be drawn into thin wire. The density of aluminum is around 2.7 g/cm3 with a large void space that makes it flexible to stretch into any shape. Due to aluminum’s ductility, it has a low melting point and can be molded into various shapes.
a. Is aluminum ductile at room temperature?
Aluminum is ductile at room temperature and increases its strength at low temperatures but retains its property of plastic deformation and tensile ductility. The increase in stiffness of aluminum at low temperatures is due to the shrinking of void spaces between the aluminum molecules during low temperatures.
b. Is steel more ductile than aluminum?
Steel is not more ductile than aluminum because the strength of steel is higher than aluminum. Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon having a density of 8.05 g/cm3 thus the void spacing in steel is filled by the variable size of atoms thus increasing its rigidity. The ductility of aluminum is almost 50% more than steel.
c. Is brass more ductile than aluminum?
Brass is not more ductile than aluminum because brass has a more compact structure than aluminum and aluminum is soft. The density of brass is 8.4 g/cm3 which is even higher than steel and thus the rigidity of brass is high. On the Mohs scale of hardness, the value of hardness of Al is 2.5 while that of brass is 3.
Is aluminum brittle?
A metal is said to be brittle if it is hard and fragile and can break easily. Let us discuss whether aluminum is brittle and can be broken easily or not.
Aluminum is not brittle because it is soft and flexible. It can be molded and holds the property of plastic deformation thus the chances of breaking the aluminum is small and it does not shatter easily. Aluminum metal composes of a single size of atoms making it easy for atoms to slide and pass through wide voids.
Is aluminum malleable?
A metal is said to be malleable if it can be deformed from its original shape permanently without the development of cleavage or fracture. Let us see whether aluminum is malleable.
Aluminum is malleable because of its flexibility and plasticity. It can be molded in any shape without losing its hardness, rigidity, and stiffness. However, no crack or weakness plane is generated during the process. It does not hold the elasticity and hence, upon deformation, it does not regain its original shape.
a. Is aluminum malleable at room temperature?
Aluminum is malleable at room temperature because it retains its property of flexibility even at room temperature. Aluminum becomes softer at higher temperatures thus boosting its malleability. It loses its strength and rigidity at high temperatures. Aluminum’s malleability is directly dependent on the temperature.
b. Is copper more malleable than aluminum?
Copper is not more malleable than aluminum because copper is more rigid than aluminum. The density of copper is 8.92 g/cm3 which is very high than aluminum. Aluminum is a lightweight and soft metal with high ductility than copper, making it more malleable than copper.
Conclusion
We can conclude from this article that aluminum is not the strongest metal and has low density. It is flexible, ductile, and malleable due to void spacing and increases with temperature. The addition of impurities increases its rigidity and compactness, improving its strength and stiffness.
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Hi, I’m Akshita Mapari. I have done M.Sc. in Physics. I have worked on projects like Numerical modeling of winds and waves during cyclone, Physics of toys and mechanized thrill machines in amusement park based on Classical Mechanics. I have pursued a course on Arduino and have accomplished some mini projects on Arduino UNO. I always like to explore new zones in the field of science. I personally believe that learning is more enthusiastic when learnt with creativity. Apart from this, I like to read, travel, strumming on guitar, identifying rocks and strata, photography and playing chess.