Aluminum is a light metal with low density (2.79g/cm3), its chemical symbol is Al, and its atomic number is 13. Pure aluminum has low strength but good plasticity.
Galvanized steel refers to the ordinary carbon construction steel that is galvanized to effectively prevent corrosion and rust of the steel, thereby prolonging the service life of the steel. The galvanizing is divided into electro-galvanized and hot-dip galvanized.
Classification
According to the aluminum content, pure aluminum can be divided into:
- High purity aluminum: ≥99.999℅
- Industrial refined aluminum: 99.95℅～99.996℅
- Industrial pure aluminum: 99.00℅～99.85℅
Hot-dip galvanized steel, electro-galvanized steel, single-sided or double-sided differential thickness galvanized steel, alloy composite galvanized steel, color galvanized steel, printing coated galvanized steel, polyvinyl chloride laminated galvanized steel, etc.
Strength
The strength of pure aluminum is very low. And steel is an alloy of iron and is known for its strength.
The strength of galvanized steel is stronger than aluminum.
Properties
Aluminum
The density of aluminum is small, only 2.7 times that of water. The specific strength of aluminum (the ratio of strength to weight) is high, and the mechanical strength of some high-strength aluminum alloys exceeds that of structural steel.
Aluminum has no magnetism, and aluminum at low temperatures (-198 ℃) will not be brittle and still have good mechanical properties.
Aluminum can be rolled into thin plates and foils, drawn into filaments, and extruded into various complex shapes. Its ductility is very good.
Aluminum can quickly combine with oxygen in the air to form a dense and hard aluminum oxide film.
With a thickness of 0.005 to 0.02 microns, it becomes a natural protective layer of aluminum and prevents aluminum from being oxidized. Therefore, it has good corrosion resistance.
Aluminum has good electrical and thermal conductivity. The electrical conductivity is equivalent to 64.94% of the international standard annealed copper, which is about half of silver.
Aluminum has strong reflective properties, reflecting ultraviolet rays stronger than silver, and aluminum does not produce sparks when hit.
Galvanized steel
Galvanized steel has the advantages of alkali resistance, good impact resistance, fast heat transfer, long mechanical life, good flame retardancy, natural degradation, and recycling value.
Galvanized steel sheet is also very convenient to use and can be directly welded.
The galvanized steel surface is very smooth and clean, so it can avoid the descaling work again during use.
The accuracy of the size of the galvanized products is very high, the products are straight and the plate shape is good.
The strength is great, and the use safety is high.
Applications
Aluminum
Because of its excellent physical properties, aluminum has been widely used in various sectors of the national economy and defense industry.
As a lightweight structural material, aluminum is light in weight and strong. Land, sea, and air vehicles, especially aircraft, missiles, rockets, satellites, etc., use a large amount of aluminum. A supersonic aircraft uses aluminum. 70% of its own weight, and the amount of aluminum used in missile accounts for more than 10% of its total weight.
In the construction industry, aluminum alloy is used as the door, window, and structural material of the house, and the solar collector is made of aluminum, which can save energy.
In terms of power transmission, aluminum is the first to use, and 90% of high-voltage electrical wires are made of aluminum.
In the food industry, most of the storage tanks, cans, and beverage containers are made of aluminum.
In other aspects, aluminum powder is used as a reducing agent for refractory metals (such as molybdenum, etc.) and as a deoxidizer in the steelmaking process, as well as pots, basins, spoons, etc. in daily life.
Aluminum can also be used in roofing and guttering applications. They are cold-formed from aluminum coils.
Galvanized steel
Galvanized steel has a wide range of uses.
A large amount of galvanized steel is used in automobile manufacturing, refrigerated containers, construction, ventilation and heating facilities, and furniture manufacturing.
Conclusion
Aluminum is expensive, but it is favored for its light and strong characteristics, which can help reduce transportation costs. Although the corrosion resistance of aluminum is not as strong as that of galvanized steel, it is still a good choice compared with other materials.
Compared with aluminum, galvanized steel has the advantages of low processing cost, durability, and high corrosion resistance. Each of the materials has its own advantages.
