Aluminum is the second most widely used metal in the world. It is readily available, offers a wide range of properties, and can be shaped, coated, and joined using a variety of methods. This chapter discusses some of the key attributes of wrought and cast aluminum alloys and the classifications, designations, and grades of available product forms. It also explains how aluminum alloys are used in aerospace, automotive, rail, and marine applications as well as in building and construction, electrical products, manufacturing equipment, packaging, and consumer durables such as appliances and furniture.

Aluminum generally has excellent resistance to corrosion and gives years of maintenance-free service in natural atmospheres, fresh waters, seawater, many soils and chemicals, and most foods. This chapter explains why aluminum and aluminum alloys are naturally resistant to corrosion and describes the conditions and circumstances under which their natural defenses break down. It discusses the causes and forms of corrosion observed in aluminum alloys and the effect of composition, microstructure, processing history, and environmental variables such as impurities, fluid flow, surface area, pressure, and temperature.

Pitting is the most common corrosion attack on aluminum alloy products. This chapter explains why pitting occurs and how it appears in different types of aluminum. It discusses pitting rates, pitting potentials, and pitting resistance as well as testing and prevention methods. It also discusses the problem of crevice corrosion and how it is influenced by crevice geometry and operating environment. The discussion covers the most common forms of crevice corrosion, including water staining, poultice corrosion, and filiform corrosion, along with related testing and prevention methods.

This chapter describes the mechanisms, characteristics, and prevention of intergranular and exfoliation corrosion in various aluminum alloys. It discusses susceptible alloys and recommended tempers and presents several examples of exfoliation in aircraft components. It also explains how the two forms of corrosion are related to stress-corrosion cracking.

This chapter discusses three related corrosion mechanisms, galvanic, deposition, and stray-current corrosion, explaining why they occur and how they affect the corrosion process. It includes information on testing and prevention methods along with examples of the type of damage associated with these corrosion mechanisms.

This chapter explains how mechanical processes, including erosion, cavitation, impingement, and fretting, contribute to the effects of corrosion in aluminum alloys. It describes the two main types of erosion-corrosion and the factors involved in cavitation and liquid impingement erosion along with testing and prevention methods. It also provides information on fretting corrosion and fretting fatigue.

Environmentally assisted cracking is a generic term that includes various cracking phenomena such as stress-corrosion cracking (SCC), corrosion fatigue cracking, and liquid-metal embrittlement. This chapter describes these cracking mechanisms beginning with SCC and the factors that influence its formation. It covers alloy selection and mitigation techniques and includes examples of SCC in aircraft components. The chapter also addresses corrosion fatigue, explaining how different environments and operating conditions affect crack propagation, fatigue strength, and fatigue life. It includes information on liquid-metal embrittlement as well.

Aluminum products are used extensively in natural atmospheres and in and around water. They are also widely used in building materials and as containers for chemicals and food and beverage products. This chapter discusses the corrosion mechanisms associated with these environments and the influence of various factors and prevention methods. It also includes an extensive amount of data of corrosion rates, corrosion resistance, and changes in mechanical properties.

This chapter describes the factors that affect the corrosion performance of aluminum assemblies joined by methods such as welding, brazing, soldering, and adhesive bonding. The factors covered include galvanic effects, crevices, and assembly stresses in products susceptible to stress-corrosion cracking.

This chapter discusses the ambient-temperature corrosion characteristics of aluminum metal-matrix composites (MMCs), including composites formed with boron, graphite, silicon carbide, aluminum oxide, and mica. It also discusses the effect of stress-corrosion cracking on graphite-aluminum composites and the use of protective coatings and design criteria for corrosion prevention.

This chapter discusses corrosion prevention methods used with aluminum and its alloys. The methods range from relatively straightforward measures, such as proper handling and storage, to advanced early warning corrosion monitoring systems for military aircraft. The chapter summarizes the basic factors that influence design for corrosion resistance and discusses the use of conversion coatings, organic coatings, porcelain enameling, and electroplating. It also discusses corrosion monitoring methods used in chemical processing and refining industries.

This chapter describes the use of standardized tests to determine the susceptibility of aluminum alloys to specific forms of corrosion, including pitting, intergranular corrosion, filiform corrosion, exfoliation corrosion, and stress-corrosion cracking.

This appendix contains composition limit data for wrought aluminum and aluminum alloys.

This appendix includes composition limit data for aluminum castings and ingots.

This appendix provides information on temper designations for strain-hardened aluminum, heat treatable aluminum alloys, and annealed aluminum products.