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+--- Thread: Why is an aluminium alloy stronger than pure aluminum? (/Thread-Why-is-an-aluminium-alloy-stronger-than-pure-aluminum)
Why is an aluminium alloy stronger than pure aluminum? - lolitahe69 - 12-14-2021
Most alloys are stronger than the pure metals. A lot of the aluminium alloys are precipitation hardening, meaning that there are small grains of harder material that block the movement of imperfections (dislocations) that are what deformation is about. … If you think of deformation as moving a rug through the material, the dislocations are like a little fold on the rug and it is much easier to move the fold than pulling the entire rug. Now, a precipitate, for example a magnesium silicide particle, act a bit like a nail through the carpet and effectively stops you from pushing the carpet fold along.
There are other hardening mechanisms, but most boil down to small areas being harder than the rest and very locally making it more complicated for the deformation to carry on through the material.
RE: Why is an aluminium alloy stronger than pure aluminum? - aluhm - 12-14-2021
Alloying any metal adjusts its properties, and a vast number of different alloys have been produced to expand the range of functions people require.
100% gold is lovely, but terribly soft, so it is very often alloyed with other metals to make jewellery that doesn’t became misshapen in normal wear.
Aluminium alloyed with silica is actually weaker than pure aluminium, but has a lower melting point that makes it very suitable for casting.
Aluminium alloyed with magnesium can be both stronger and lighter than the pure metal.
There are so many different aluminium alloys that it would take a very long answer to even scratch the surface of the subject