ME411 - Materials Engineering Group Report on Copper and Aluminum Members: Asuncion, Atienza, Bacero, Calarion, Calicdan

1. Engineering Materials

2. Background
History
Processing
Uses
Properties
Copper

3.  part of the boron group in the periodic table
 third most abundant element in the Earth’s
crust
 ability to resist corrosion due to passivation
 capable of being a super conductor
 almost never found in its elemental state
 aluminum is found only in chemical
compounds with other elements

4.  lightweight, strong, nonmagnetic, and
nontoxic
 conducts heat and electricity and reflects heat
and light
 strong but easily workable
 aluminum can easily and economically be
recycled into new products
 surface of aluminum quickly oxidizes to form
an invisible barrier to corrosion

6.  potters made their strongest vessels from
clay that contained aluminum oxide
 aluminum compounds in fabric dyes,
cosmetics, and medicines

7.  Bauxite is most useful for producing pure
aluminum
 consists of 45-60% aluminum oxide
 4 lb (2 kg) of bauxite to produce 1 lb (0.5 kg)
of aluminum metal
 Caustic soda is used to dissolve the
aluminum compounds

8.  the Bayer process and Hall-Heroult process
 Cryolite used as the electrolyte in smelting
 Aluminum fluoride is added to lower the
melting point of the electrolyte solution
 Carbon electrodes transmit the electric
current through the electrolyte
 production of 2 lb (1 kg) of aluminum
requires 15 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy

9.  refining the bauxite ore to obtain aluminum
oxide
1. The bauxite ore is mechanically crushed
2. It is mixed with caustic soda and processed
into a slurry
3. The slurry is pumped into a digester
4. It is passed through a series of flash tanks
that reduce the pressure
5. The slurry is pumped into a settling tank

10. 6. The remaining liquid is pumped through
cloth filters
7. The filtered liquid is pumped through a
series of precipitation tanks
8. Seed crystals of alumina hydrate are added
9. The crystals precipitate and are removed.
10. After washing, they are transferred to a kiln
for calcining.
11. After leaving the kiln, the crystals pass
through a cooler.

11.  process of smelting the aluminum oxide to
release pure aluminum
12. Smelting of alumina into metallic aluminum
takes place in a steel vat called a reduction
pot
13. Within the reduction pot, alumina crystals
are dissolved in molten cryolite at a
temperature of 1,760-1,780° F (960-970° C)

12. 14. A crucible is moved down the potline,
collecting molten aluminum, which is 99.8%
pure
15. The metal is transferred to a holding
furnace and then cast as ingots

13.  Alumina is used in laundry detergents,
toothpaste, and fluorescent light bulbs
 Also an important ingredient in ceramic
materials
 largest waste product generated in bauxite
refining is the tailings (red mud)
 Aluminum plants in the United States create
significant amounts of greenhouse gases

14.  Lightweight: a third of the weight of steel,
brass, or copper of equal volume

15.  Strength: can stand heavy pressures and
loads

16.  Electrical Conductivity: conductivity is twice
of copper

17.  Thermal Conductivity: can quickly spread
heat in an even and quick manner

18.  Non-toxic: makes it ideal for packing cooking
material

19.  Reflectivity: reflects light as well as other
forms of radiant energy.

20.  Ductility: it can be drawn into wires

21.  Miscible: alloying it with metals make it more
malleable, conductive, and resilient

23.  Finishing: coatings and finishes can be used
over it

24.  Costing: cheap and economical

25.  Recyclable: cheaper than newly mined and
processed aluminum

27.  Durability

28.  Aerospace: percentage in aircraft frames is
70%
 Automotive: advantage of lightness,
resistance and recyclability
 Marine: lightening hulls by 40% to 50% over
steel
 Rail: lighter structures, resistance and
durability

30.  Building: commonly used in extruded, sheet-rolled
or molded forms
 Packaging: modern packaging is one of the
leading consumers of aluminum
 Mechanical Industry and Engineering:
aluminum parts can reduce inertia
 HVAC exchangers and the plastics industry

31.  Energy Distribution: low density and excellent
electrical conductivity
 Sports and leisure

33. Copper
Background
History
Processing
Uses
Properties

34.  With very high thermal and electrical
conductivity
 Soft, malleable, and has a reddish-orange
color
 Ductile, non-magnetic, and corrosion
resistant
 Melting point at 1981 F or 1083 C

35.  Bronze Age (3500BC)
 An alloy of copper and tin
 Used to make tools and weapons

36.  Brass, a copper and zinc alloy
 Used in decoration and later, weapons

37.  Continued use of brass

38.  Copper used as a conductor
 Brass continued use in instruments

39.  Copper in electrical applications

40.  Copper in electronics

41.  Excellent heat conductivity
 Excellent electrical conductivity

42.  Good corrosion resistance
 Good biofouling resistance

43.  Machinability
 Retention of electrical and mechanical
properties at cryogenic temperatures
 Non-magnetic

44.  Power transmission lines
 Electrical wiring, cables and busbars

45.  Spark plugs
 Electrodes

46.  Cooking utensils

47.  Heat exchangers
 Plumbing

48.  Refrigeration tubing
 Water-cooled copper crucibles

49.  most common source are sulfide ores
 most common sulfide ore is chalcopyrite

50.  varies according to type of ore and desired
purity
 unwanted materials are physically or
chemically removed
 concentration of copper is progressively
increased

51. 1. sulfide ores are taken from huge open-pit
mines
2. material located above the ore is called
overburden
3. exposed ore is scooped up by large power
shovels

52. 1. ore is crushed in a series of cone crushers
2. crushed ore is ground even smaller by mills
3. mixed with water and placed in a rod mill
4. mixture is further broken up in ball mills
5. slurry mixed with various chemical reagents
6. A liquid, called a frother, is also added
7. mixture pumped into flotation cells
8. copper particles cling to bubbles as they
rise

53. 1. concentrate is fed into a furnace along with
a silica material, flux
2. concentrate and flux melt and collect in the
bottom
3. iron chemically combines with flux to form
slag
4. sulfur combines with the oxygen to form
sulfur dioxide

54. 5. molten material in the bottom is called the
matte
6. molten matte is drawn and poured into a
converter
7. resulting molten material is called the
blister

55. 1. blister copper is heated in a refining furnace
2. poured into molds to form electrical anodes
3. copper anode is placed in an individual tank
4. sheet of copper is placed on the opposite
end
5. tanks are filled with an acidic copper
sulfate solution
6. electrical current is passed through each
tank

56. 7. copper is stripped off the anode and
deposits on the cathode
8. After 9-15 days, the current is turned off
9. Copper is cast into ingots, rolls, etc.

57.  sulfuric acid
 Gold, silver, and other precious metals
 overburden, tailings and slag

58.  http://www.madehow.com/Volume-4/Copper.html
 http://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=2856
 http://www.chemistryexplained.com/elements/A-C/Aluminum.html
 http://resources.schoolscience.co.uk/CDA/14-
16/chemistry/copch0pg2.html
 http://education.jlab.org/itselemental/ele029.html
 http://www.madehow.com/Volume-
5/Aluminum.html#ixzz398Y6sFuh
 http://www.constellium.com/technology-center/aluminium-alloy-applications
 http://www.buzzle.com/articles/aluminum-uses-of-aluminum.html