Aluminium powder

Short description: Metal dust

Aluminium pigment powder

Aluminium powder is powdered aluminium.

This was originally produced by mechanical means using a stamp mill to create flakes. Subsequently, a process of spraying molten aluminium to create a powder of droplets was developed by E. J. Hall in the 1920s. The resulting powder might then be processed further in a ball mill to flatten it into flakes for use as a coating or pigment.[1] Aluminium powder features low density with high conductivity.[2]

## Contents

* 1 Usage
* 1.1 Aluminium granules
* 2 Safety
* 3 See also
* 4 References

## Usage

* autoclave aerated concrete
* cosmetic colourant
* fingerprint powder[3]
* metallic paint
* pyrotechnics (including the M-80 firecracker)
* refractory
* rocket and missile fuel such as the solid rocket boosters of the Space Shuttle[4]
* thermite
* Electrically conductive filler material for EMI shielding applications.[5]
* Improvised explosive device

Depending on the usage, the powder is either coated or uncoated.

### Aluminium granules

Aluminium granules are a larger particle size alternative to aluminium powders. There is no official size range for granules vs. powders with sources describing granules with particle sizes anywhere from 0.1-40 mm.[6] Granules are useful as they maintain the free-flowing nature of powders but have lower surface area decreasing explosion risk.

## Safety

Aluminium is insoluble. Although aluminium is unlikely to be adsorbed into the blood stream, its inhalation can cause severe irritation and hinder the ventilation mechanism.[7] High levels of exposure over many years may result in aluminosis which causes pulmonary fibrosis.[8]

Aluminium powder and dust is highly flammable and creates a significant risk of fire or explosion. There have been many incidents in industries which produce such dusts and powders.[9]

## See also

* Metal powder

## References

1. ↑ Joseph R. Davies (1993), "Powder Metallurgy Processing", Aluminum and Aluminum Alloys, ASM International, p. 275, ISBN 9780871704962, https://books.google.com/books?id=Lskj5k3PSIcC&pg=PA275
2. ↑ Gromov, A.A.; Nalivaiko, A.Yu (2019). "Chapter 5 - Aluminum Powders for Energetics: Properties and Oxidation Behavior". in Yan, Qi-Long. Nanomaterials in Rocket Propulsion Systems. Elsevier. pp. 151–173. ISBN 9780128139080.
3. ↑ Champod, Christophe; Lennard, Chris J.; Margot, Pierre; Stoilovic, Milutin (2004-04-27) (in en). Fingerprints and Other Ridge Skin Impressions. CRC Press. ISBN 9780203485040. https://books.google.com/books?id=n9out--0RRkC&dq=Fingerprint+powder+uses+aluminum+powder&pg=PA137.
4. ↑ Space Shuttle Basics –Solid Rocket Boosters, NASA, https://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/reference/basics/srb/index.html
5. ↑ "Silver-coated Aluminum Powder". https://powder.samaterials.com/silver-coated-aluminum-powder-alag.htm.
6. ↑ Neikov, Oleg D., ed (2009). Handbook of Non-Ferrous Metal Powders: Technologies and Applications. Burlington: Elsevier. pp. 271-274. ISBN 978-1-85617-422-0.
7. ↑ "Aluminum | Toxic Substances | Toxic Substance Portal | ATSDR". https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/substances/ToxSubstance.aspx?toxid=34.
8. ↑ "Aluminium, Dusts containing aluminium as metal, aluminium oxide and aluminium hydroxide", MAK Value Documentation, 2007, doi:10.1002/3527600418.mb742990vere4313
9. ↑ Urben, Peter (2013-10-22) (in en), Bretherick's Handbook of Reactive Chemical Hazards, Elsevier, p. 22, ISBN 978-0-08-052340-8

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