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Transparent aluminium is 'new state of matter'

(PhysOrg.com) -- Oxford scientists have created a transparent form of aluminium by bombarding the metal with the world’s most powerful soft X-ray laser. 'Transparent aluminium' previously only existed in science ...

Physics / Condensed Matter

created Jul 27, 2009 | popularity 4.3 / 5 (107) | comments 48

Were Twin Towers felled by chemical blasts? (Update)

A mix of sprinkling system water and melted aluminium from aircraft hulls likely triggered the explosions that felled New York's Twin Towers on September 11, 2001, a materials expert has told a technology ...

Technology / Engineering

created Sep 21, 2011 | popularity 3.1 / 5 (40) | comments 753

Micro-explosion reveals new super-dense aluminium

(PhysOrg.com) -- Although materials scientists have theorized for years that a form of super-dense aluminum exists under the extreme pressures found inside a planet’s core, no one had ever actually seen ...

Physics / General Physics

created Aug 24, 2011 | popularity 4.9 / 5 (18) | comments 9 | with audio podcast

Japan mines toxic e-waste for precious materials

Seeking to turn an environmental problem into an economic opportunity, high-tech companies in resource-poor Japan are mining mountains of toxic e-waste for precious materials.

Space & Earth / Environment

created Dec 17, 2009 | popularity 4.9 / 5 (7) | comments 0

Metal shortages alert from leading geologists

Geologists are warning of shortages and bottlenecks of some metals due to an insatiable demand for consumer products.

Space & Earth / Earth Sciences

created Oct 12, 2011 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (4) | comments 3

I'm forever imploding bubbles

The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) has developed the first sensor capable of measuring localized ultrasonic cavitation - the implosion of bubbles in a liquid when a high frequency sound wave is applied. The sensor will ...

Physics / General Physics

created Apr 07, 2009 | popularity 4.7 / 5 (3) | comments 1

Toxic mud spill kills four in Hungary

Hungary declared a state of emergency on Tuesday after a toxic mud spill killed four people and injured 120 in what officials described as Hungary's worst-ever chemical accident.

Space & Earth / Environment

created Oct 05, 2010 | popularity 3.5 / 5 (4) | comments 1

Can we fix it -- yes we can

Scientists at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), the UK's National Measurement Institute are working on a project to develop a new, lighter weight beverage can punch with improved wear resistance. The ...

Technology / Engineering

created Apr 06, 2011 | popularity 4.3 / 5 (3) | comments 0

Amazing skin gives sharks a push

Shark skin has long been known to improve the fish's swimming performance by reducing drag, but now George Lauder and Johannes Oeffner from Harvard University show that in addition, the skin generates thrust, ...

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Feb 09, 2012 | popularity 4.3 / 5 (3) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Weight loss for healthier cars

(PhysOrg.com) -- A Swinburne research team has developed a joining system that overcomes obstacles to the wider use of magnesium in the automotive industry.

Technology / Engineering

created Nov 25, 2010 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 3

Hungary toxic sludge spill reaches Danube (Update)

The company at the centre of Hungary's toxic sludge leak that killed four people defended itself Friday, as fears increased over the threat to marine life in Europe's second longest river.

Space & Earth / Environment

created Oct 08, 2010 | popularity 4 / 5 (2) | comments 2

Trace elements unbalanced in dialysis patients

Abnormal levels of trace elements may explain dialysis morbidity. A systematic review published in the open access journal BMC Medicine has shown that, compared to healthy controls, dialysis patients have significantly differ ...

Medicine & Health / Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

created May 19, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Seeds from the Moringa tree can be used for water purification

Pure water is a key requirement for good health and alternative cheap, safe methods are required in many countries. In a paper that has just been published in the leading American Chemical Society journal on interfaces, Langmuir, resear ...

Chemistry / Materials Science

created Feb 18, 2010 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Explosive composite based on nanoparticles and DNA could be an energy source for embedded microsystems

A solid explosive with an energy density equivalent to that of nitroglycerine: this is the composite material produced by researchers at the Laboratoire d'Analyse et d'Architecture des Systemes (CNRS) in Toulouse, France, ...

Nanotechnology / Nanomaterials

created Nov 03, 2011 | popularity 4 / 5 (1) | comments 2

New barrier coating offers savings for aluminium smelters

(PhysOrg.com) -- A barrier coating developed through CSIRO’s Light Metals Flagship offers aluminium smelters significant annual savings in reduced consumption of petroleum coke alone.

Technology / Engineering

created Feb 23, 2009 | popularity 1 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Aluminium

US i/əˈluːmɨnəm/ ə-loo-mi-nəm

Aluminium or aluminum (US English) is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances. Aluminium is the third most abundant element (after oxygen and silicon), and the most abundant metal, in the Earth's crust. It makes up about 8% by weight of the Earth's solid surface. Aluminium metal is too reactive chemically to occur natively. Instead, it is found combined in over 270 different minerals. The chief ore of aluminium is bauxite.

Aluminium is remarkable for the metal's low density and for its ability to resist corrosion due to the phenomenon of passivation. Structural components made from aluminium and its alloys are vital to the aerospace industry and are important in other areas of transportation and structural materials. The most useful compounds of aluminium, at least on a weight basis, are the oxides and sulfates.

Despite its prevalence in the environment, aluminium salts are not known to be used by any form of life. In keeping with its pervasiveness, it is well tolerated by plants and animals. Because of their prevalence, potential biological roles, beneficial and otherwise, aluminium compounds are of continuing interest.

For more information about Aluminium, read the full article at Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.