What are the applications of aluminum alloy?

Aluminum alloy has the characteristics of low density, good mechanical properties, good processing performance, non toxicity, easy recycling, excellent conductivity, heat transfer, and corrosion resistance. It is widely used in the marine industry, chemical industry, aerospace, metal packaging, transportation and other fields.
Aerospace
Aluminum alloy is the main material used in the manufacture of airplanes. Compared with soft steel used in automobile manufacturing, aluminum alloy is more expensive and has a lower density, with a relative density of 2.8. Compared with soft steel with a relative density of 7.8, it is about one-third lighter. Although the strength difference is not much, for aircraft, lightweight is the most important material, and it has strong corrosion resistance and easy processing. Therefore, aluminum alloy is the most ideal material for manufacturing aircraft.
Hard aluminum can be used to manufacture rivets, propellers for airplanes, and high-strength parts for airplanes based on its alloy element content; Ultra hard aluminum is a hard aluminum containing zinc, which has higher hardness and strength than hard aluminum. Different varieties of ultra hard aluminum are used to manufacture various structural parts and high load parts, and are one of the important materials in the aviation industry.
Marine industry
Aluminum and aluminum alloys are becoming increasingly widely used in the shipbuilding industry, from small boats to large oil tankers of tens of thousands of tons, from offshore hovercrafts to underwater submarines, from civilian to military use, from fishing boats to ocean mining ships, all use high-performance aluminum alloys to produce ship hulls, support structures, supporting facilities, pipelines, etc.
The application of aluminum alloy in the marine industry can reduce the overall weight of ships, improve the speed of ship travel, and resist the corrosion of seawater on ships.
The aluminum alloys mainly used in the marine industry are aluminum copper alloy, aluminum magnesium alloy, and aluminum silicon alloy. Aluminum copper alloys are widely used in ships in China and Russia, but their poor resistance to seawater corrosion hinders their development in the shipbuilding industry. Aluminum magnesium alloy is mainly used for ship hulls, water pump conduits, pump casings, and machine base supports, with grades including 5083, 5086, 5456, 5466, etc. Aluminum silicon alloy structure has moderate strength, good fluidity, strong filling ability, and is easy to produce high-density and structurally complex components, such as high-pressure valves, cylinder blocks, pumps, gearbox housings, turbine blades, etc.
Chemical industry
Aluminum has good thermal conductivity, and aluminum and aluminum alloys are widely used in the production of heat exchange equipment, storage tanks resistant to concentrated nitric acid corrosion, adsorption filters, distillation towers, pipelines, and many inner linings in chemical equipment. Casting aluminum alloy has good fluidity, strong filling ability, low shrinkage rate, and is not easy to form cracks. It has good corrosion resistance (its surface can form aluminum oxide and silicon dioxide protective film), light weight, and excellent mechanical properties. It is widely used in the manufacture of complex corrosion-resistant components such as cylinders, pipe fittings, valves, pumps, pistons, etc. Aluminum has many special uses in chemical production [7]. Aluminum does not produce sparks, and aluminum alloy can be used to produce containers for easily volatile substances; Aluminum is non-toxic, does not cause food spoilage, does not affect the appearance of goods, and does not corrode goods. Therefore, aluminum alloy is widely used in the production of related equipment in the food and chemical industry.
Metal packaging
Aluminum alloy can be used for metal packaging and has the following excellent characteristics: good mechanical properties, light weight, high compressive strength, durability, easy storage and transportation of goods; Good barrier performance, can block the damage of sunlight, oxygen, and humid environment to items, and can extend the shelf life of items; Good texture and aesthetic appeal, aluminum alloy used for packaging has a unique metallic luster, good touch and beauty, enhancing product quality; Non toxic and easy to recycle, recyclable, saving resources, and reducing environmental pollution. Aluminum alloy is widely used in beer, beverage, and other food cans, mostly in the form of stamping and drawing structures. Aluminum foil containers are beautiful, lightweight, and have good heat transfer properties. They are used for packaging fast food and have the effects of preservation, flavor retention, and non toxicity. They are increasingly used in the food industry. Aluminum alloy metal hoses can be extruded and deformed, and their contents can be squeezed and used. They are simple and convenient, and are commonly used for packaging cream like cosmetics.
Other industries
Aluminum alloy has high specific strength, light weight, good fluidity, strong filling ability, good corrosion resistance, and low melting point, and is widely used in industries such as tractors, locomotive parts, electronic products, medical equipment, and building decoration. Aluminum alloy has excellent ductility and is widely used in the daily necessities and food industries. In the field of power transmission, wires made of aluminum alloy have low cost, light weight, good corrosion resistance, heat transfer and easy conductivity, and wear resistance, so they are increasingly valued by people. In the field of power transmission, aluminum alloy is the most widely used, with up to 90% of high-voltage conductor materials being aluminum products [10]. Aluminum silicon alloy can serve as a good deoxidizer, reducing the sensitivity of steel to subcutaneous bubbles and improving the quality of steel through deoxidation in steelmaking. The market demand for aluminum silicon alloy is large, with an annual demand of millions of tons nationwide.