aluminum
A lightweight, silvery metal commonly used in facade panels and curtain-wall framing, with good corrosion resistance.
Pictured: Beer Can House
Aluminum is a lightweight silvery metal and the most abundant metal in the Earth's crust, making up about 8.1% of it. Hans Christian Oersted first produced the metal in 1825. Industrial production commonly separates aluminum oxide from bauxite through the Bayer process, then uses the Hall-Heroult electrolytic process to obtain aluminum metal.
Aluminum is used in facade panels and curtain-wall framing because it is light and readily formed. It has good corrosion resistance, but it is not immune to corrosion. Its reflective surface properties are distinct from thermal insulation: the metal itself conducts heat well.
Aluminum is the standard American English spelling. Aluminium is the form used in British English and many other English-speaking countries; both names refer to the same element.
