Scandium

Definition

Scandium is a chemical component with symbol Sc. A silvery-white metallic transition metal, it has historically been now and then classified as a rare earth element, together with yttrium and the lanthanides.

World Resources

Scandium

Application

The adding up of scandium to aluminium limits the extreme grain growth that occurs in the heat-affected zone of welded aluminium components. This has two valuable effects: the precipitated Al3Sc forms smaller crystals than are formed in other aluminium alloys and the volume of precipitate-free zones that normally exist at the grain boundaries of age-hardening aluminium alloys is reduced. Both of these effects boost the usefulness of the alloy. However, titanium alloys, which are similar in lightness and strength, are cheaper and much more widely used.