Earlier development of aluminium.

[Valdemar II]

I must admit chemistry aren't my strongest point, but I have a question about the development of aluminium.
How early can aluminium be produced at first, and at that point are Hall–Héroult process technological possible?
Could we see both decades earlier, or was they both only developed at the time it was technological possible?

 

[Don Lardo]

How early can aluminium be produced at first...

It's entirely possible for some alchemist to produce small amounts of aluminum as part of their "chemical tinkering". Whether the substance would be recognized as aluminum, or even an element, is another question along with questions about whether the process is passed along or dies with it's creator, whether or not the process remains a "magic trick", what uses the precious substance is put to, etc., etc., etc.

... and at that point are Hall–Héroult process technological possible?

The chemistry was known for decades, industrializing the process requires lots of cheap electricity. Without the necessary watts, you won't see the process used.

Could we see both decades earlier, or was they both only developed at the time it was technological possible?

They both were developed pretty much when it was technologically possible.

The chemistry to produce aluminum developed pretty much at the same time chemistry as a whole developed. Everyone was using the new found substances and theories to discover as many elements as they could, so aluminum was identified in that rush. Industrializing the process required electricity and that occurred pretty much as soon as the electricity was available.

You could shave a few years off here and there, but anything earlier is going to require earlier chemistry and electricity.

 

[Cash]

Can't find the reference right now, but back in the late 1800s the owners of one of the first skyscrapers in NYC symbolically capped it with a pyramidal piece of aluminum about the size of a hatbox. It was considered very luxe at the time because aluminum was such a rarity.

 

[Plumber]

Can't find the reference right now, but back in the late 1800s the owners of one of the first skyscrapers in NYC symbolically capped it with a pyramidal piece of aluminum about the size of a hatbox. It was considered very luxe at the time because aluminum was such a rarity.

Yup, it used to be worth more than gold.

 

[Arafeel]

Well we produce rather aloth of aluminium, the plant were bulit wiht or close to water power. If the tech was there you just need earlier investment.

 

[The Kiat]

As soon as you can generate sufficient amounts of electrical power, then you can smelt aluminum. Perhaps earlier hydroelectric production, since plenty of smelters are near dams.

 

[Thande]

What Don Lardo said. Aluminium is still a very expensive metal. The only reason why it's not still only used for expensive cutlery for late nineteenth century European monarchs is because of large-scale production of electricity. The process is still really expensive, but aluminium is useful enough and the demand is high enough that companies can turn a profit despite that.

 

[Mongo]

Can't find the reference right now, but back in the late 1800s the owners of one of the first skyscrapers in NYC symbolically capped it with a pyramidal piece of aluminum about the size of a hatbox. It was considered very luxe at the time because aluminum was such a rarity.

I believe you are referring to the Washington Monument.

"The aluminum pyramid itself was only 22.6 cm in height, 13.9 cm at its base, and weighed 2.85 kg."

"When dealing with historical numbers involving monetary units, it is well to give the reader a perspective about the relationship to current times; it is insufficient to use the financial term inflation adjusted. The author prefers to compare the 1884 price of aluminum of $1 per ounce ($16 per pound) to the fact that in 1884 the wage of a laborer on the Washington Monument was $1 per day, and the workday was typically 10 hours or greater in length. Thus, the cost of one ounce of aluminum was equivalent to a full day's work. The highest skilled craftsman on the monument project was paid $2 per day."

 

[tallwingedgoat]

Aluminum is called frozen electricity because of it's extreme high use of power. Aluminum smelting plants are often built next to a hydroelectrical plant for this reason. There is no way to do this pre-1900 without completely changing the world as we know it.

 

[Nik]

Sodium...

IIRC, before cheap = hydro electricity, the only viable process was using liquid, elemental sodium--- A nasty, and very expensive business at best...

 

[ArKhan]

There was a time that Aluminum was more valuable then gold. The French Royal Jewels where displayed along side bars of Aluminum at the Exposition Universelle of 1855.

 

[Color-Copycat]

At the Natural History Museum at the Smithsonian, I remember seeing this modest-sized clock with aluminum finishing/sculptures/decorative touches. I don't remember if it was originally gifted to Napoleon or Queen Victoria (I'm pretty sure it was one of the two), but in any case, it was intended to represent the extravagant wealth of the recipient since it was like two kilos of aluminum.