Alfred Wilm

Alfred Wilm (1869–1937) was a German metallurgist who invented the alloy Al-3.5–5.5%Cu-Mg-Mn, now known as duraluminium, which is used extensively in aircraft.^[1]

Whilst working in military research centre in Neubabelsberg in 1901, Wilm discovered age hardening, in particular age hardening of aluminium alloys.^[2] This discovery was made after hardness measurements on Al-Cu alloy specimens were serendipitously found to increase in hardness at room temperature. This increase in hardness was identified after his measurements were interrupted by a weekend, and when resumed on the Monday the hardness had increased.^[3]

By 1906, Wilm had developed an alloy – Al-3.5–5.5%Cu-Mg-Mn, Mg and Mn were < 1%, for which a patent was filed.^[4] Later this patent was purchased and the alloy marketed as duralinium. Somewhat unusually Wilm did not write his first article on age hardening until 1911.^[2][5] At the time Wilm was developing an aluminium alloy to replace brass in ammunition. He left research and later became a farmer in 1919, until his death.^[2]

References

1. ^ Hardouin Duparc, Olivier (March 28, 2005). "Alfred Wilm and the beginnings of Duralumin". Zeitschrift für Metallkunde. Zeitschrift für Metallkund 96 (4): 398–404. ISSN 0044-3093. http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=16711855. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} Hornbogen, Erhard (May 2001). "Hundred years of precipitation hardening". Journal of Light Metals (Elsevier Science) 1 (2): 127–132. doi:10.1016/S1471-5317(01)00006-2. 
3. ^ Polmear, Ian (2006). Light Alloys: From traditional Alloys to Nanocrystals, 4th edition. Elsevier. ISBN 0-7506-6371-5. 
4. ^ DE 244554  Verfahren zum Veredeln von magnesiumhaltigen Aluminiumlegierungen. (German patent) 20 March 1909.
5. ^ Wilm, Alfred (April 22, 1911). "Physikalisch-metallurgische Untersuchungen über magnesiumhaltige Aluminiumlegierungen". Metallurgie : Zeitschrift für de gesamte Hüttenkunde 8 (8): 225–227. ISSN 1011-4599.