Aluminium

Pros

Aluminum is primarily known for its low weight. This means that when aluminum is used in cars, for example, better fuel efficiency can be achieved. Another advantage is corrosion protection, which can be increased by the various alloys. This means that aluminum can protect against external influences and can also come into contact with sensitive foods or materials without any problems. In addition, aluminum has high thermal and electrical conductivity, which makes it suitable for electronic components such as printed circuit boards (PCB). Due to the softness of the metal, aluminum can also be easily shaped and thus adapted to all requirements. Finally, the use of aluminum is also interesting due to its good recyclability, as no quality of the material is lost despite recycling.

Cons

The production of aluminum sometimes requires energy-intensive processes, which can increasingly be avoided by using recycled aluminum. In addition, corrosion resistance is limited even with alloys, especially in salty environments such as seawater. Since pure aluminum has low strength compared to other metals, it must be alloyed, which can lead to additional costs. Finally, the difficult weldability of aluminum must also be taken into account. Due to its high thermal conductivity and the formation of an oxide layer, a special alloy must be used to make aluminum weldable.