It is the only primordial aluminium isotope, i.e. This situation is common for elements with an odd atomic number. Because of the abundance of these salts, the potential for a biological role for them is of continuing interest, and studies continue. In the 21st century, most aluminium was consumed in transportation, engineering, construction, and packaging in the United States, Western Europe, and Japan.ĭespite its prevalence in the environment, no living organism is known to use aluminium salts metabolically, but aluminium is well tolerated by plants and animals. In 1954, aluminium became the most produced non-ferrous metal, surpassing copper. In World Wars I and II, aluminium was a crucial strategic resource for aviation. Aluminium became much more available to the public with the Hall–Héroult process developed independently by French engineer Paul Héroult and American engineer Charles Martin Hall in 1886, and the mass production of aluminium led to its extensive use in industry and everyday life. The first industrial production of aluminium was initiated by French chemist Henri Étienne Sainte-Claire Deville in 1856. The discovery of aluminium was announced in 1825 by Danish physicist Hans Christian Ørsted. The strong affinity towards oxygen leads to aluminium's common association with oxygen in nature in the form of oxides for this reason, aluminium is found on Earth primarily in rocks in the crust, where it is the third most abundant element after oxygen and silicon, rather than in the mantle, and virtually never as the free metal.
The aluminium cation Al 3+ is small and highly charged as such, it is polarizing, and bonds aluminium forms tend towards covalency. The radioactivity of 26Al is used in radiodating.Ĭhemically, aluminium is a weak metal in the boron group as is common for the group, aluminium forms compounds primarily in the +3 oxidation state. It has one stable isotope, 27Al this isotope is very common, making aluminium the twelfth most common element in the Universe. Aluminium visually resembles silver, both in its color and in its great ability to reflect light.
It has a great affinity towards oxygen, and forms a protective layer of oxide on the surface when exposed to air. Aluminium has a density lower than those of other common metals, at approximately one third that of steel.
Aluminium ( aluminum in American and Canadian English) is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13.
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