Rusal, a leading global aluminium producer has announced the launch of a new brand ScAlution, under which the company will produce the entire range of aluminium-scandium products, including master alloys, slabs, billets, as well as wire and powders for additive technologies. For these purposes, Rusal has developed and patented aluminium-scandium lean alloys of the following grades: AA 5081 containing up to 0.10% of scandium for aerospace industry; AA 5181 containing up to 0.03% of scandium for transport engineering, including shipbuilding; and RS 553 powder for additive technologies.
ScAlution alloys are used in lighter vehicles to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions. They are highly in demand across all aluminium-based industries. ScAlution alloys are an integrated term composed of three words: scandium, aluminium, and solution.
Victor Mann, Chief Technical Officer at RUSAL, said: “RUSAL's engineers have managed to develop a brand-new scientific and industrial approach to creating aluminium-scandium lean alloys, through its casting and thermo-mechanical treatment technology. As a result, ScAlution alloys have 40-50% higher mechanical properties compared to alloys without scandium.”
He added, “Applying ScAlution to the production process helps towards countering the current challenges of the global industry. For example, applying our alloys makes it possible to deliver 300 kg more of useful cargo to the orbit or reduce the weight of a sea ship by up to 20%.”
Until now, the usage of aluminium-scandium alloys is prominent in the aerospace and sports industries. Their widespread application across industries is restricted by three factors: high concentration of scandium, significant cost of scandium oxide, and no large and reliable producer of scandium oxide.
Rusal is the first in the world who has solved the problem of cost and supply of aluminium and scandium materials to the market with its comprehensive approach. Transport and aerospace companies assess that the consumption of aluminium-scandium lean alloys can reach 300,000 tonnes per year by 2035.
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