Hydronalium

Hydronalium is a family of aluminium-magnesium alloys. It is an alloy predominantly of aluminium, with between 1%-12% of magnesium as the primary alloying ingredient. It also includes a secondary addition of manganese, usually between 0.4%-1%.

Polish project 664-class torpedo boat, with a hull of welded Hydronalium

The Hydronalium alloys originated in Germany in the 1930s[1][2] and are best known, at least by that name, in Eastern Europe. They were widely used for shipbuilding in Poland.

There are many alloys within this family, one standard reference listing over twenty.[3]

Mechanical properties
Alloy Hardening Tensile strength Yield strength Elongation (%) Hardness (Brinell)
Hydronalium 2[3] Soft 193 MPa (28,000 psi) 90 MPa (13,000 psi) 30 47
Hard 290 MPa (42,000 psi) 255 MPa (37,000 psi) 8 77

Applications

The alloy family is noted for its resistance to seawater corrosion.[3] As such it is used in sheet form for boatbuilding and light shipbuilding. As castings it is used for marine fittings. The reliable strength of some grades is sufficient for aerospace use and so they are used for wetted components of seaplane aircraft, such as floats[2] and propellers, where marine corrosion resistance is also needed.

Some variants of the alloy are ductile enough to be drawn into wire. This, combined with their resistance to corrosion by salty sweat, has led to an application for violin strings as an alternative to silver.[4]

See also

References
  1. "Corrosion tests on Igedur and Hydronalium Hy 18 aluminium alloy sheets". National Archives, Kew. 1939–1941. AVIA 6/7948.
  2. H.R. King (19 October 1939). "Some German Seaplanes". Flight: supplement b, d.
  3. John P. Frick, ed. (2000). Woldman's Engineering Alloys. ASM International. pp. 567–568. ISBN 9780871706911.
  4. "Warchal violin strings". Musikhaus Thomann e.K.
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