The English name of aluminum comes from alum, which is the sulfate double salt KAl(SO4)2·12H2O. In prehistoric times, humans have used clay containing aluminum compounds (Al2O3·2SiO2·2H2O) to make pottery. The content of aluminum in the earth's crust ranks third after oxygen and silicon. However, because the oxidizing property of aluminum compounds is very weak, aluminum is not easily reduced from its compounds, so it has been difficult to separate metallic aluminum. After the Italian physicist Volta invented the battery, David tried to use electric current to separate metallic aluminum from alumina, but failed. However, he suggested naming it "aluminum", which was later changed to "aluminum", and was soon modified to aluminum. This word form is used throughout the world, except in North America, where the American Chemical Society (ACS) decided to use "aluminum" in its publications in 1925.
The Danish chemist Oersted separated impure metallic aluminum for the first time by reacting dilute potassium amalgam with aluminum chloride. In 1827, the German chemist Wu Le repeated Oersted's experiment and continued to improve the method of producing aluminum. In 1854, German chemist Dewyer used sodium instead of potassium to reduce aluminum chloride and produced aluminum ingots. In the following period, aluminum was a treasure enjoyed by emperors and nobles. French Emperor Napoleon III used aluminum forks at banquets; the King of Thailand used aluminum watch chains. It was displayed alongside the Crown Jewels at the Paris Exposition in 1855, with the label stating "Silver from Clay". In 1889, Mendeleev also received a vase and cup made of aluminum alloy as a gift from the London Chemical Society.