Duralumin is a material created on the basis of pure aluminum with alloying elements, the inclusion of which in the composition of the melting changes the properties of the metal. Soft and lightweight aluminum acquires load resistance, while retaining all the advantages of a pure element.
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Duralumin is an aluminum alloy with a small amount of copper that is aged at a certain temperature under artificially created conditions. The material was invented in 1903 by Alfred Wilm, who served as an engineer at a German factory. During the experiments, he noticed a pattern confirmed by lengthy experiments. He found that if aluminum and 4% copper are fused, and then the resulting material is quenched at a temperature of + 500 ° C, followed by rapid cooling and holding at room temperature for several days, a metal with increased strength is obtained, while the plastic properties are fully preserved the main element.
Over the next years, alloys with a large number of additives were obtained, which increased the strength of the material. At the present stage, duralumin is a high-strength alloy, the composition of which, depending on the variety, may include copper, magnesium, silicon, zinc, etc.
Structure
The strength properties of duralumin demonstrate high rates - up to 370 MPa (the strength of pure aluminum is 70-80 MPa), which makes the material popular in many industries. An alloy of aluminum with chemical elements, in certain proportions, varies the characteristics of the resulting material. The base alloy consists of classic proportions of ingredients.
Duralumin composition has the following:
- Copper (Cu) - 0.5% of the total mass.
- Manganese (Mn) is 0.5% alloy.
- Magnesium (Mg) - 1.5% of the total mass.
- Silicon (Si) - 1.2%.
- Iron (Fe) makes up about 0.1% of the composition.
- Aluminum (Al) is the main element.
The main types of alloys
There are several types of alloys that differ in their characteristics.
What can be duralumin (composition, ligatures and qualities)?
- Aluminum + manganese (Al + Mg), aluminum + magnesium (Al + Mn), the second name "magnalium" - is characterized by corrosion resistance, high soldering, welding. Poorly cutting. The alloys of these compositions are not subjected to additional hardening. The material is used for the manufacture of gas pipes, auto radiators, tanks for various purposes, in construction works, etc.
- Aluminum + manganese + silicon (Al + Mg + Si), the alloy was given the name "Avial". The properties of duralumin of this composition are corrosion resistance, lightness and strength of welds, fine grain. Quenching occurs at a temperature of + 515–525 ° C with sharp cooling in water (+ 20 ° C) for 10 days. The main scope is products used in high humidity, the manufacture of materials, parts, machines in the aircraft industry, the automotive industry, recently the aircraft replaces expensive steel in parts of mobile phones, etc.
- Aluminum + copper + manganese (Al + Cu + Mg), or duralumin, is a structural material, depending on the need to obtain final properties, the amount of each alloying element can vary. The alloy has found application in the aircraft industry, the space industry, for the manufacture of high-speed trains (Sapsan), etc. The disadvantage of the alloy is its corrosion instability. Duralumin sheet requires thorough anti-corrosion treatment, which mainly occurs by applying pure aluminum to the surface.
Application
Duralumin is the main material for aircraft construction and the space industry. The first application for aircraft occurred in 1911 during the construction of airships. In the 21st century, there are more than ten brands of this light and durable material. For aircraft parts, the D16t brand is most often used, which includes nine metals, for example titanium, nickel, etc., and the ligature consists of copper, silicon, and magnesium. The amount of aluminum in the alloy is limited to a standard content of 93%.
Not all alloys of duralumin lend themselves well to welding, so many products are made on rivets and other types of fasteners. The main industrial use of the material was aircraft construction, automotive, machine tools. But not only high technologies use duralumin, for example, a boat for personal use made of this material will last more than 20 years, and with good care and prevention, it will last even longer.
In shipbuilding, not only the hulls of ships are made of material, but also a large number of internal hull parts and assemblies. Duralumin pipes, thick-walled and thin-walled, are used everywhere, from housing and communal services to gas pipelines. Rolled sheets are used in building structures.
Advantages and disadvantages
Duralumin is an aluminum-based alloy that, like any material, has advantages. Among them:
- High rates of static strength.
- Long term of operation.
- Low vulnerability to destruction.
- Resistance to many aggressive environments, mechanical, temperature effects.
- Adapted to welding (pure aluminum does not respond well to weld seams).
- The many applications.
There is one significant drawback that duralumin possesses - its susceptibility to corrosion damage. All products made of material are necessarily clad with pure aluminum or coated with primers that prevent rust.
Prices
It is not difficult to purchase material, the cost is formed depending on the component composition. Most factories producing non-ferrous metals produce duralumin. The price depends on many factors, in particular on the type of product, scope of supply and other conditions. In the accompanying documents, the manufacturer is obliged to indicate data on the percentage of alloy, according to GOST, operational characteristics.
The cost of products from duralumin (corner, pipe, sheet) starts from 580 rubles per kilogram. With an increase in supply, the price per ton of alloy pipes is about 510 thousand rubles. Duralumin circles start at a price of 250 rubles per kilogram. Circle - a symbol for the procurement of material, the cross section of which is a circle of various sizes, the length of the product reaches 3 meters.