Once more expensive than gold, aluminum has not lost its value over the years, only its price tag. Thanks to revolutionary methods of production largely developed in the late 1800s, the price of aluminum dropped from $34 an ounce in 1852 ($1,276 in 2022 dollars) to just $0.09 an ounce today. As a low-density, high-strength, corrosion-resistant metal, aluminum’s usefulness has led to incredible consumption in many industries from transportation to packaging.
Unfortunately, hydrogen gas can be readily introduced to aluminum during its production, and it is highly soluble in molten aluminum. This causes problems when the molten aluminum begins to solidify and the solubility drops. Hydrogen gas is forced out of the metal, and in doing so may leave voids and micropores that weaken aluminum and increase its brittleness. This is the last thing anyone wants in an airframe or drink can.
Determining the hydrogen content in the aluminum products is therefore a critical aspect of monitoring the aluminum production process. LECO’s newest instrument in the 836 series, the H826EN, is ideal for these analyses.
With a lower detection limit than the standard H836 and a larger sample mass capacity, the H836EN can handle these analyses with ease. It boasts a lower detection limit than its predecessor, the RHEN602, and it can support larger sample diameter sizes than others in the 836 series.
The H836EN is also the first LECO instrument to benefit from the new Cornerstone design, with easier navigation and diagnostic tools. With the optional Mobile Cornerstone add-on, it can be monitored from your phone, freeing you to do more than supervise your instruments.
Watch Aluminum Sample Preparation
