Alfred Wilm

German chemist

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 15, 2026

Quick Summary

Alfred Wilm was a German metallurgist who discovered duralumin in 1906. Duralumin is a strong, lightweight alloy primarily made of aluminum, with additions of copper, manganese, and magnesium. This alloy is comparable in strength to soft steel after heat treatment and aging. Its high strength-to-weight ratio makes it ideal for aircraft construction. The original composition has been varied for specific uses, and a laminated form called alclad is used for aircraft to improve corrosion resistance.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

metallurgy
Metallography
…discovery of age hardening by Alfred Wilm in Berlin about 1906 yielded a material that was twice as strong with only a small change in weight. In Wilm’s process, a solute such as magnesium or copper is trapped in supersaturated solid solution, without being allowed to precipitate out, by quenching…
Read More
…discovery of age hardening by Alfred Wilm in Berlin about 1906 yielded a material that was twice as strong with only a small change in weight. In Wilm’s process, a solute such as magnesium or copper is trapped in supersaturated solid solution, without being allowed to precipitate out, by quenching…
Read More