What are the most common uses of aluminum in North America.

Alum, an aluminum-based salt, was used extensively in ancient times. Commander Archelaus discovered that wood was practically flame resistant if it was treated using an alum solution; protecting his wooden fortifications against flamed attack. Alum was used throughout Europe from the XVI century onwards: in the leather industry as a tanning agent, in the paper-pulp industry for paper sizing and in medicine, i.e. dermatology, cosmetology and ophthalmology.

Aluminum was named after alum, which is called 'alumen' in Latin. This name was given by Humphry Davy, an English chemist, who, in 1808, discovered that aluminum could be produced by electrolytic reduction from alumina (aluminum oxide), but did not manage to prove the theory in practice.

Aluminum is one of the most common metals on Earth. Few come close to his performance. Aluminum's popularity lies in its many advantages - lighter than steel without losing strength, corrosion-resistant, durable, ductile, malleable, conductive and odorless.

Check out the most common uses of aluminum in North America.

Another big reason dozens of America's leading industries use aluminum in their products is that it's environmentally friendly, 100% recyclable, and loses none of its strength when recycled. The most common uses of aluminum relate to our 4 largest industries.

Electric.

Aluminum has 63 percent of the electrical conductivity of copper, which, in addition to its light weight, makes it perfect for long-distance power lines. Aluminum can form wire much more easily than copper. Its corrosion resistance also adds some weather and climate protection. Aluminum is used in a wide variety of electrical products and structures, from motors to appliances, power systems, television antennas, satellite dishes and some LED light bulbs.

Consumer goods.

Aluminum is most often encountered in consumer goods. Smartphones, laptops, tablets and flat-screen TVs are all made of aluminum, which has high functionality and at the same time looks high-tech, elegant and sophisticated. Aluminum is also a big material for Apple products like iPhones. It is used in furniture such as tables, chairs, lamps and home decorations, as well as pots and pans. The most iconic is aluminum in the packaging of soda drinks, which have been used by the Coca-Cola and Pepsi brands since 1967.

Construction.

The construction uses aluminum as the material requires virtually no maintenance due in large part to its resistance to corrosion. Thermally efficient structural aluminum keeps buildings cool in summer and warm in winter. It can be easily cut, bent and welded, allowing architects to design any shape they like to create truly inspiring buildings. The largest use of aluminum in construction, used in 1931, is the Empire State Building in New York. Today, aluminum is used in one form or another in almost all major commercial building structures.

Transportation.

Transport aluminum has an excellent strength-to-weight ratio, which allows vehicles to move more easily and provides better fuel economy. With transport aluminum, its alloys are mixed with other metals. According to some experts, the automotive industry will increase the use of aluminum in automobiles by 60 percent over the next five years. High-speed rail and subway systems around the world also use aluminum to reduce frictional resistance. And finally, it is used in aerospace and aircraft manufacturing, as well as for the reasons given.

Is that it?

There is no other metal or material that has the adaptability and environmental friendliness of aluminum. Plastic can come close, but it doesn't have the same environmental sustainability rating as aluminum. If you look around you will find that aluminum is used alongside stainless steel, alloy steel, galvanized steel, brass, bronze and copper to make some of the most recognizable products. It can be cut in so many different ways and its benefits are so varied.

Aluminum may very well be the best construction material of the twenty-first century, as it is used in almost everything we use and that is around us. For our transportation, consumer goods, construction and electrical engineering, the world would not be what it is without aluminum.