Aluminum

Aluminium (or Aluminum) is a silvery-white light metal, which, after oxygen and silicon, is the third most common element of the earth’s crust and thus the most common metal. Aluminum is the second most important metallic material after steel. Due to its high specific strength, aluminum components are about half as heavy as steel. Therefore, aluminum is often used in lightweight construction. Especially the aerospace industry and the automotive industry make use of this property. The electrical engineering and electronics industries use aluminum because of its good electrical heat conductivity. In the field of optics and lighting technology, aluminum is used because of its high degree of reflection as a coating of mirrors in motor vehicles, scanners or SLR cameras. In everyday life, the best known product is the aluminum foil. The packaging industry uses aluminum in beverage and food cans or Tetra Paks. The barrier effect of aluminum against light, oxygen and other environmental influences helps to protect food.