Raw aluminium readily forms a tough oxide layer when exposed to air, which protects the metal from further corrosion or reactions with many chemicals. This oxide layer can form incredibly quickly ...

These reactions ultimately produce aluminum oxide, in a powdery form called alumina. Much of this alumina is then shipped to refineries, where the powder is poured into electrolysis vats ...

Aluminum doesn’t solder well, and that’s because of the oxide layer that rapidly forms on the surface. [Ted]’s solution is to scour the aluminum with some mineral oil. The goal is to scrape ...