- Alfred Wilm
Dr. Alfred Wilm, was a German metallurgist, who invented the alloy Al-3.5–5.5%Cu-Mg-Mn, now known as duraluminium, which is used extensively in aircraft.
Wilm discovered
age hardening , in particular age hardening in aluminium alloys in 1901Citation
last =Hornbogen
first =Erhard
date = May
year =2001
title =Hundred years of precipitation hardening
periodical =Journal of Light Metals
publisher =Elsevier Science Ltd.
volume =1
issue =2
pages =127-132
doi =10.1016/S1471-5317(01)00006-2
accessdate = 6th June , 2008 ] . This discovery was made afterhardness measurements on Al-Cualloy specimens were serendipitously found to increase in hardness at room temperature. This increase in hardness was identified after his measurements were interrupted by a weekend, and when resumed on the Monday the hardness had increased. [cite book |last=Polmear
first= Ian
title=Light Alloys: From traditional Alloys to Nanocrystals, 4th edition
publisher=elsevier
year=2006
isbn=0750663715 ]By 1906, Wilm had developed an alloy - Al-3.5–5.5%Cu-Mg-Mn, Mg and Mn were < 1%, for which a patent was filed [DRP 244554 (German patent) 1906.] . Later this patent was purchased and the alloy marketed as duralinium. Somewhat unusually Wilm did not write his first article on age hardening until 1911. [Citation
last =Wilm
first = Alfred
year =1911
title =Physikalisch-metallurgische Untersuchungen über magnesiumhaltige Aluminiumlegierungen
periodical =Metallurgie: Zeitschrift für de gesamte Hüttenkunde
publication-date =April 22, 1911
volume =8
issue =8
pages =225-227]At the time Wilm was developing an aluminium alloy to replace brass in ammunition. He left research and later became a farmer in 1919, until his death in 1937.
References
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