The Role of Aluminum and Carbon in Everyday Life
In our daily lives, without realizing the role of chemistry that is around us. Perhaps the most common are aluminum and carbon. The simplest thing of using carbon is in a black object which is the contents of a pencil. Then, there is charcoal which is used as an ingredient for burning satay. In fact, diamonds which are diamonds also contain the element carbon, Greaters. Whereas in aluminum, some metal-shaped objects contain aluminum as the material. To answer your curiosity about the nature of these two compounds, let's see the explanation.
Aluminum
Aluminum belongs to class IIIA in the periodic table. This group has valence electrons ns² np¹ with oxidation number +3. Aluminum is the element with the most abundance (third in the earth's crust after oxygen and silicon). Aluminum is mainly found in aluminosilicate minerals derived from earth's crust rock.
Based on the standard reduction potential data Al (E ° = –1.66 V), aluminum is easily oxidized to aluminum oxide, Al₂O₃. This oxide forms a thin layer on the surface of aluminum and is characteristic inert against oxidation so that the oxide layer is able to prevent oxidation. Aluminum can react spontaneously with halogens to form an aluminum halide dissertation releasing hydrogen gas by the reaction, 2Al (s) + 6HCl (aq) ⎯⎯ 2AlCl₃ (aq) + 3H₂ (g).
Aluminum in the industry is made in large quantities for metal alloys. Pure aluminum metal is soft and easily corroded so that a small amount of other metals, such as Cu, Mg, or Mn are mixed, make the aluminum metal hard and resistant to corrosion.
An important aluminum compound is aluminum oxide or alumina which is used as a catalyst, also used to produce aluminum metal. If the alumina is evaporated with certain impurities, a sapphire gem will be obtained ruby. Ruby This synthesis contains 2.5% chromium oxide, Cr₂O₃ in alumina, used mainly in watches and as gem accessories.
Aluminum sulfate, Al₂ (SO₄) ₃ is used for paper adhesives, also used to treat wastewater from paper pulp and to purify wastewater. Aluminum chloride hexahydrate, AlCl₃.6H₂O, is used as a sweat and disinfectant deodorizer.
Carbon
In the periodic table, carbon belongs to the group IVA which has four valence electrons which makes it possible for carbon to bind covalently to a maximum of four other atoms. Carbon is found in living things and coal and petroleum. The main source of carbon apart from organic compounds is in carbonate minerals, which are dolomite or limestone. Carbon is also present as COâ‚‚ in the atmosphere.
The carbon allotropes in the form of crystals are graphite and diamond, while the amorphous form of carbon is charcoal and coke or carbon black. Graphite and diamond form a very large covalent network structure or giant structure but different in nature. If graphite is soft, glossy black with a layered structure and can conduct electricity or called conductors, diamonds are hard, colorless and transparent to light. However, it cannot conduct electricity or insulators. The difference in properties between graphite and diamond is due to the different structure. The following is an image of graphite and diamond structure.
Synthetic graphite is produced in the manufacture of electrodes in the battery industry. Carbon black is used as a pigment for black ink as well as for the rubber industry. Whereas diamond is used for jewelry. So, carbon has a very different allotropic character, yes even though both carbon atoms (C).
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