A Brief History of Aluminum and Its Alloys

Abstract

The development of the aluminum industry originates in ancient times, with alchemic practices and corresponds with the path to modern science and technology. This chapter explores the path that lead to the discovery of elemental aluminum; from the first, naturally occurring elements, discovered in ancient times, through the various challenges posed by reducing new elements tightly bound in their mineral states, which proved to be the barrier to the discovery of aluminum until 1827, when it was reduced by Friedrich Wöhler. The history of the various interdisciplinary sciences, critical to the development of the industrial process for aluminum production, and the design and development of alloys for modern engineering applications, are also presented.