Aluminum is a metallic element with symbol Al and atomic number 13. Its simple materials is a silvery white light metal. It has plasticity. Commodities are often made into bars, sheets, foils, powders, tapes and wires.
The English name of aluminum comes from alum, that is, sulfate double salt kal (so) 12ho. In prehistoric times, clay containing aluminum compound (AlO 2SiO 2HO) was used to make pottery. The content of aluminum in the crust ranks third after oxygen and silicon. However, due to the weak oxidation of aluminum compounds, aluminum is not easy to be reduced from its compounds, so it is too late to separate metallic aluminum.
After Italian physicist Volta invented the battery, David tried to separate aluminum from bauxite by current, but failed. However, he suggested that it be named "alumium", later changed to "Alumnium" and soon changed to Aluminum.
preparation method
1854, French chemist de Ville mixed bauxite, charcoal and salt, introduced chlorine gas, and heated to obtain NaCl and AlCl? Double salt, and then melting the double salt with excessive sodium to obtain metallic aluminum. 1886, Howell of the United States and Hyrant of France independently electrolyzed and melted the mixture of bauxite and cryolite (NaAlF) to produce metallic aluminum, which laid the foundation for large-scale production of aluminum in the future.