Summary:
- The article discusses the work of Alfred Wilm, a German metallurgist who made a significant contribution to the development of aluminum alloys in the early 20th century.
- Wilm discovered that adding small amounts of copper, magnesium, and other elements to pure aluminum could significantly increase its strength and hardness, a process known as "age-hardening."
- This discovery led to the development of duralumin, an aluminum alloy that was much stronger and more durable than pure aluminum, and it became widely used in the aviation industry and other applications.