All About Aluminium – From Singapore’s Leading Aluminium Supplier

Aluminium is one of the most popular metals used in a wide range of industries today including the production of aluminium foil and aluminium sheets among other products. Aluminium could have been discovered earlier, only that it never occurs naturally in a metal form. The popular metal is instead found in soil, rocks, and plants combined with other elements.

The discovery is the work of Sir Humphry Davy in 1808, who used the process of electrolysis to create a new metal from aluminium oxide. Virtually unknown then, the English physicist called the metal aluminium.

Today, more than two hundred years since the first experiment with aluminium, the annual production of the metal exceeds that of all other non-ferrous metals combined. At a certain point, aluminium was so valued that wealthy rulers preferred it for cutlery more than gold.

Although Sir Humphry was unsuccessful in his initial attempts, another researcher H.C. Oersted was able to produce the first nodules of aluminium in 1825. By 1845, aluminium was certified for industrial use after German researchers discovered the remarkable and rare properties the metal has, including its immense lightness.

Frenchman Henri Sainte-Claire Deville also formulated a reduction process using sodium that allowed for large-scale production. The aluminium was officially inaugurated on the world stage for industrial use.

However, it was until the late 1880s after the invention of making aluminium oxide from bauxite that set the metal as an important commercial and industrial commodity. Consequently, the prices of aluminium fell drastically.

Properties of Aluminium

Although steel is famous for its durability and resilience, it is a well-researched fact that aluminium provides equal reliability and performance compared to steel but at half the weight of steel. Other factors which make aluminium a popular metal include:

Low density and a high thermal conductivity perfectly suited to electrical transmission lines. In fact, it is twice as good a conductor as copper.
It is 100% non-toxic which easily qualifies it for packaging of foods, beverages, medication, and also ideal for many electronic components like LED bulbs, cell phones, and computers.
Aluminium can effectively resist corrosion unlike steel, and its strength increases in cold environments.
Aluminium is protected by a layer of aluminium oxide which makes the metal resistant to rust and of course, the fact that it is non-ferrous.

Application of Aluminium

The incredible property of this metal has made it to become the proffered choice in a number of industries, most notably:

Aluminium sheet and foil is completely impermeable, durable, and can be as thin as 0.007mm. It is odourless, non-toxic, and able to keep ultraviolet rays away – and this has dramatically increased its demand in pharmaceuticals and the food industry as a durable packaging material.
Originally used in the aerospace industry for its lightweight, aluminium has gained usage in the manufacturing of cars, buses, lorries, bicycles, ferries, trains, and a wide range of lightweight transportation vessels.
In construction, aluminium is the second most widely specified metal – only after steel. It has become a popular choice as a roofing material, in the production of fittings and partitions in the form of aluminium sheets and plates as well as in the manufacturing of windows, prefabricated buildings, structural glazing, aluminium wall cladding and even in the marine industry for shipbuilding.

Aluminium as a Green Metal

Since aluminium is extracted from the ground, the light metal is environmentally friendly and is considered a sustainable metal. In fact, aluminium can be recycled countless times at almost 100% efficiency with no loss of its initial properties. It can be reused for the same or different purposes over and over again. Additionally, the recycling process of aluminium requires only 5% of energy, which is beneficial both financially and ecologically.

Learn the Many Wonders of Aluminium at TC Aluminium

TC Aluminium has remained steadfast in the industry as an aluminium supplier, innovating and manufacturing a wide range of products made from different types of aluminium.

For instance, we are one of the founding aluminium distributors of aluminium extrusions and sheets. We pride ourselves on our efficient management of stock to complement the needs of our customers. We target to facilitate the needs of our customers by managing the aluminium products that they stock or frequently use. We hope that engaging in our service will add value by reducing the workflow and cost required for managing their aluminium products and parts.

We are considered one of the largest wholesale, and retail aluminium suppliers in Singapore.