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Aluminum, the dull silvery metal has taken the world by storm with its versatile utility. Aluminum is a lightweight, soft and flexible metal which has a variety of uses. It is extracted from bauxite ore by electrolytic process. The dull silvery look of the metal is due to a thin film of oxidation over it, fortifying its resistance to corrosion thus protecting many exteriors. Aluminum is a good conductor of heat and electricity. If you polish aluminum it will be a better reflector than most other metals excluding gold, copper and silver. Aluminum is widely used in mirrors and telescopes due to its utmost reflective property. Household looking glasses are often made with a thin pane of aluminum fitted behind a float glass. In the case of telescopes, added reflection and magnification is obtained by placing an aluminum sheet in front of the glass. These days, aluminum is extensively used in its alloy form, as it is an extremely light weight metal and very cost effective. The alloy is very strong, making it an ideal metal for aircrafts and rockets. The aerospace industry requires metals which are not only strong, but durable, flexible, ductile and malleable. Aluminum alloy is often stronger than other pure metals; however, it gets corroded very easily. Thus if anticorrosive metal is required, it is best advised to use pure aluminum. To reduce costs further, aluminum can be used as an extra coating over the alloys, to protect it from corrosion. Another use of alluminum is for killing bacteria in water and making it safe to drink. This is alluminum in a powder form. When used for this pupose it is known as allum. It can also be used to kill some parasites that can cause diseases in fish. Most electrical wires are made of aluminum, as it is very cost effective. Even though copper is a safer metal, people opt for aluminum to save money. Since aluminum is a very good conductor of heat and electricity, people do not find aluminum a safe metal for electrical purposes in many countries, due to the risk of over heating. Aluminum in its powdered form is very often used in paint, and a silvering agent in paint and mirrors. Aluminum when used in wood primer makes it water resistent. In mirrors, aluminum is pasted behind glass, which is then exposed to oxygen, forming aluminum oxide as the base of the mirror. Silver was used for this purpose earlier and it is the reason why the process is still called silvering. Aluminum alloys, also known as alnico alloys are widely used to make permanent magnets, which are used in electrical devices. They are made by heating aluminum alloys to a particular temperature and then cooling them in a magnetic field. As you can see, alluminum has many uses and is one of the most widely used metals. The Chinese were some of the first to make use of it in 300 AD. They actually made things from it. The Greeks and Romans also used it as a salt compound for dying. It is one of the most used metals in the world today.
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Harry Browar is the owner of First Alluminum, the #1 source on the internet for information about alluminum. For more articles on alluminum visit: www.firstaluminum.com/articles Click here to get your own unique version of this article: Uber Articles directory.
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