Interesting facts about aluminium:
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Aluminum was once more precious than gold and
Al
silver. In fact, Napoleon III, the first president of the
French Republic, served only his most honored dinner
guests with aluminum plates and cutlery. Aluminum is
strong but lightweight. It weighs just one third of the
Aluminium weight of steel, which is why it is widely used in the
aircraft industry. Aluminum is one of the most “green”
26.982 metals out there. In fact, it only takes five percent of
the energy needed to extract new aluminum from ore,
according to the Environmental Protection
Agency. Aluminum is highly reflective and is used for
tubing in the manufacture of telescopes. Aluminum
offers unrivaled barrier properties and can block out moisture, bacteria,
microorganisms, light, oxygen, and other gasses. For this reason, aluminum foil is
used in the protective packaging of pharmaceuticals. Aluminum is the most
abundant metal and third most abundant element in the earth’s crust, making up
around 8% of it. The only elements in the Earth’s crust that are more abundant than
aluminum are silicon and oxygen. Because aluminum is so reactive, it’s never found
in nature in its pure form. Instead, it is found as aluminum ore, which must be
smelted.
Electronic 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p1 (full electronic configuration)
2 1
configuration [Ne] 3s 3p (core notation)
Valence 3
electrons
Aluminum (13Al) has 22 known isotopes from 22Al to 43Al and 4 known isomers.
Only 27Al (stable isotope) and 26Al (radioisotope; half-life = 7.2×105 y) occur
Isotopes & naturally, however 27Al comprises nearly all of the natural aluminium. Other
their than 26Al, all radioisotopes have half-lives under 7 minutes, most under a
abundance second. Hence the naturally-occurring isotopes of aluminium are as follows:
27Al (abundance: nearly 100%)
26Al (abundance: trace)
Physical State at room temperature: solid
properties Color: Silvery white to dull gray
Density: 2700 kg/m3 or 2.70 g/cm3
Melting point: 660.32°C (1,221°F)
Boiling point: 2,470°C (4,478°F)
Ductility: High ductility. Aluminium can be beaten very thin.
Malleability: High malleability. Aluminium is very capable of being bent or
shaped.
Conductivity: Good electrical and thermal conductor.
Thermal expansion: Aluminum has a thermal expansion coefficient of 23.2.
Magnetic properties: It is nonmagnetic but considered a paramagnetic
metal.
Corrosion resistance: Aluminium is resistant to corrosion due to the
protective oxide layer.
Chemical Reaction of aluminium with air: Generally, Aluminium metal does not
properties react with air as its surface is covered with a thin layer of oxide that helps
protect the metal from attack by air. However, in case the oxide layer gets
damaged and the Aluminium metal gets exposed, it reacts again with oxygen
forming Aluminium (lll) Oxide.
Reaction of aluminum with acids: Aluminium reacts readily with mineral
acids to form solutions containing Al (lll) ion along with the liberation of
hydrogen gas, H2. For example, it dissolves in hydrochloric acid (HCl)
liberating dihydrogen gas.
Reaction of aluminum with water:
Aluminum does not react with hot or cold water. But it reacts with steam to
form aluminum hydroxide and hydrogen gas. (g)
2Al + 3H2O → 3H2 + Al2O3
Reducing properties: Aluminum undergoes displacement reaction. By this,
it shows reducing properties.
Nature of oxides: Like all the metals aluminum has alkaline properties.
Its oxides form alkalis like aluminum hydroxide. However, these aluminum
oxides react with both acids and alkalis also known as amphoteric oxides.
