# The Fascinating Journey of Aluminum: From Rarity to Everyday Use
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Chapter 1: The Value of Aluminum Through Time
Aluminum is a metal we often overlook, yet it is ubiquitous in our lives. From kitchen pots to aircraft, this silver-white metal is everywhere. Despite being the most abundant metal on Earth, it remained unseen until 1825.
Imagine tossing an aluminum can into the recycling bin without a second thought, unaware that this same metal plays a crucial role in the planes delivering your online orders and the vehicles that transport you daily. Light, soft, and inexpensive, aluminum is so common that it hardly attracts attention.
However, in the early 1800s, aluminum was considered as precious as gold. Napoleon III of France famously showcased his lavish aluminum collection, while the United States marked its rising power by placing a six-pound aluminum cap on the Washington Monument—the largest piece of aluminum ever utilized at that time.
George J. Binczewski details the extraordinary effort and cost involved in creating this cap. In 1884, aluminum was priced at $16 per pound, a staggering amount when the average worker earned just $1 for a ten-hour day. Thus, the cap, costing $220, equated to 2,200 hours of labor. Modern polishing techniques were unknown then, requiring the cap to be cast and recast at a Philadelphia smelting facility until perfection was achieved. Interestingly, Colonel Thomas Lincoln Case, who initiated the cap's creation, initially didn't consider using aluminum; it was the smelter, William Frishmuth, who made the suggestion.
The video titled "Did You Know Why Napoleon III Served Dinner On Aluminum???" explores the fascinating reasons behind this choice.
Section 1.1: The Challenges of Extracting Aluminum
In Sarah Laskow's article for The Atlantic, she discusses the challenges associated with aluminum. Though it's not rare—being one of the most abundant elements—it tends to bond tightly with other substances. Rubies and sapphires, for example, are primarily composed of aluminum oxides.
This posed a dilemma similar to the early challenges of extracting nitrogen from the atmosphere. Until the 1900s, nitrogen's extraction was deemed impossible, much like the extraction of pure aluminum in the early 1800s. The first significant breakthrough in isolating aluminum occurred in 1886 when two chemists—Charles Martin Hall in Ohio and Paul Héroult in France—independently developed methods for producing pure aluminum before turning 24.
They employed an aluminum compound called cryolite and electricity, which allowed for the metal's production in a way never achieved before.
Section 1.2: The Public's Awakening to Aluminum
Andrey Drozdov notes that the public’s awareness of aluminum began at the 1885 Exposition Universelle in Paris. Initially, the material did not impress many; however, Napoleon III was captivated. Often referred to as "silver from clay" because of its resemblance to silver, aluminum caught the emperor's attention. He heavily funded Henri Étienne Sainte-Claire Deville's research on aluminum, granting him an unlimited budget. Deville spent 36,000 Francs—an astounding amount when the average French family's income was just 2,000 Francs.
Napoleon envisioned aluminum as a revolutionary material for his military, commissioning standards made from it for his troops. Unfortunately, the high cost prevented its widespread military use. Nevertheless, aluminum's shimmering appearance captured public interest.
Jewelry started to be crafted from aluminum, with notable figures—including the crown prince Louis-Napoleon—using aluminum for items like baby rattles. It became common to see women and dignitaries adorned with aluminum accessories instead of gold. Napoleon III's extravagant aluminum dinnerware was reserved for prominent guests, while lesser gold plates were provided to others.
Chapter 2: Aluminum's Impact on Society
At the 1867 Paris Exposition, aluminum shone brightly among innovations like the telephone and electric headlights. Sixteen million visitors observed aluminum foil and wire, some polished to shine brighter than silver. Among the crowd were renowned figures like Jules Verne, who recognized aluminum's potential beyond mere fantasy.
Laskow highlights that in America, Charles Martin Hall continued to innovate in aluminum production, eventually leading to a dramatic drop in its price—from over $10 per pound in 1880 to just 78 cents by the mid-1890s. Hall would become a founding figure in the aluminum industry, particularly with the establishment of Alcoa.
Aluminum's most remarkable early achievement was its role in powered flight. The Wright Brothers, known for their bicycle expertise, understood the importance of control in aviation. After perfecting their control system with gliders, they faced the challenge of building a lightweight engine.
When no manufacturer could produce such an engine, they turned to an employee, Charlie Taylor, who built an aluminum block engine in six weeks. On December 17, 1903, the Wright Flyer I took to the skies, marking humanity's first powered flight and ushering in an era of aviation.
Section 2.1: Aluminum and Human Ingenuity
Aluminum's journey mirrors humanity's own story. Many ideas considered impossible—like the public's skepticism towards aluminum at the Exposition Universelle or the Wright Brothers' flying machine—eventually became reality. The human spirit of innovation has repeatedly turned the improbable into the achievable.
Aluminum transitioned from a rare curiosity to a widely used industrial metal, enabling powered flight and countless advancements. As you tear off a sheet of aluminum foil for dinner tonight, reflect on how this once-precious material became an everyday item—a testament to humanity's ability to turn the extraordinary into the ordinary.
In summary, the tale of aluminum, from its historical significance to its role in modern society, is a remarkable narrative of transformation and ingenuity.