A super-material made from aluminium scrap

The revolutionary material could outperform common aluminium alloys

Spotted: Aluminium is an extremely versatile metal. Lightweight, electrically and thermally conductive, and corrosion-resistant, it’s used in everything from kitchen foil to aeroplane components. Most aluminium comes from aluminium oxide compounds found in bauxite rock, which is extracted using open-pit mining – to the detriment of surrounding ecosystems – and refined in energy-intensive processes. Soluterials, however, wants to do things differently.

The German startup has created a new, patent-pending nanostructured material, called SoluteriAL, which could replace traditionally mined aluminium. Instead of creating new alloys to achieve the desired final properties, SoluteriAL is made up of pure, recycled aluminium.

Normally, material scientists test different alloy variations to tweak qualities like conductivity and heat resistance, but Soluterials achieves high performance across the board without any alloying materials or rare earth additives. SoluteriAL is created primarily from aluminium scrap using a mechanical process that requires no melting, meaning it has a relatively low energy and carbon footprint.

According to the company, SoluteriAL possesses impressive corrosion resistance, electrical and thermal conductivity, and strength – rivalling, if not surpassing the performance of other commonly used aluminium alloys. It’s also completely recyclable and will not lose its quality during the recycling process.

Written By: Matilda Cox