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Materials - Historical Items: Aluminum (or Aluminium): 1808 (some say 1807): Humphry Davy establishes existence and names material aluminum. 1825: Aluminum is isolated by Danish chemist Hans Christian Oersted. 1854: Henri Sainte-Claire Deville, in France, creates first commercial production process and renames the material aluminium. New name is adopted in Europe but not in North America. 1884: First architectural application of aluminum (in United States?), Washington Monument with a cast aluminum pyramid at its tip. 1886: Paul Louis Toussaint Héroult (in France) and Charles Martin Hall (in the United States) independently invent the Hall-Héroult electrolytic production process - remains basis for modern production. 1903: Cast aluminum engine block and crankcase in first successful airplane of the famous Wright brothers. Sources: R. Kissell, "Aluminum stands tall as a structural metal, The
Fabricator, November 7, 2002. Aluminum Alloys: Around 1910: discovery that copper alloying additions could strengthen aluminum considerably. Early alloys called Duralumin (patented in 1910 by Alfred Wilm, Germany) - used by Germans in Zeppelin airship frames including the Hindenburg (link to www.nlhs.com/construc.htm for further details).
Within the aluminum alloy family, the copper alloyed grades have relatively low corrosion resistance. Source: R. Kissell, "Aluminum stands tall as a structural metal, The Fabricator, November 7, 2002. Cast Iron Pipe: Earliest recorded use in Germany (Langensalza) around 1562, carrying water to a fountain. First significant use in water distribution in 1664 (Versailles, France), water mains constructed to carry water over 15 miles to the Versailles Palace and surrounding area. Reportedly, this system is still functional after 300+ years of service. Source: Cast Iron Soil Pipe Institute: "History, Uses and Performance of Cast Iron Pipe", published at www.cispi.org. Concrete - Reinforced: 1867 (patent): Joseph Monier (France) used iron reinforcing wire in flower pots, thereby introducing the concept of modern steel reinforcing bars, wire and mesh. A quote from an essay by Leanne Brooks: "Laboring over grains of sand, piles of finely ground rocks, and warm water, Joseph Monier struggled to develop the perfect flowerpot ...". Monier is celebrated in France as the inventor of reinforced concrete. Source: MAST Modules, Department of Materials Science and
Engineering 1842-1921: Francois Hennebique, pioneer in reinforced concrete construction - inspired by Monier's work in 1867. Hennebique reportedly built the "Old Weaver's & Company Flower Mill" in 1897, Europe's first multistory reinforced concrete building (in Swansea). A modern building of a large supermarket chain has reportedly superceded this historical building. Source: www.explore-swansea.co.uk/weavers.htm 1871: Start of construction of Ward House (Port Chester, New York), the first reinforced concrete building (iron rods as reinforcement) in the United States by William E. Ward. Also known as Ward's Castle, this building still stands today. 1901: Construction of first steel reinforced concrete bridge in Britain at Chewton Glenn in Hampshire. By 1913 more than 300 such bridges had been constructed. Source: B. Smyth: "Changing materials, changing bridges", British Archaeology, No. 39, November 1998. Link to information on roman concrete at www.romanconcrete.com History of Concrete and other introductory material in a module of MAST,
Materials History items in the reinforced concrete module on corrosion-club.com at: Glass Fibers: Gold: Believed to be the first metal discovered (natural form, around 6000 BC). Sources: Lead: Widely used in ancient Rome as water piping (and also in numerous other applications such cups, plates, pots and coins). The word "plumbing" reportedly originates from the Latin word for lead, "plumbum" (hence chemical symbol Pb). It has been suggested that the large-scale use of lead in antiquity contributed to the fall of Rome through heavy metal poisoning. In this context, corrosion of lead-lined storage vessels by wine and subsequent consumption of the dissolved lead in wine have been mentioned. Sources: J. Lewis: "Lead Poisoning: A Historical Perspective", EPA Journal, May 1985. J.R. Davis (Editor): "Corrosion: Understanding the Basics", Chapter 1, ASM International, 2000. Steel: > 130 years ago, first steel pipe laid in USA - water supply line to San Franciso. ("Unlined, uncoated and unwrapped".) Source: American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). Stainless Steel: First commercial cast on August 20, 1913. "Stainless" name probably introduced by a cutlery company manager (Ernest Stuart at Mosley's) after failing to stain the cutlery in vinegar. Source: "History of Stainless Steel", Metal Strategies Inc. Titanium: Identified as new element in mineral deposits in 1791 (Rev. William
Gregor, Cornwall (U.K.) area). Named after "Titans", sons of Earth (Earth Goddess) in Greek mythology. Wire (metallic): The Bible's Book of Exodus (Old Testament) contains an early reference to the manufacture of gold wire, in Chapter 39 (note that you may find words similar to "wire", depending on a particular translation/edition). Source: D. Trew, "The Making of Wire", published at www.barbwiremuseum.com.
References/Literature:
Links: AISI
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