Aluminum-Scandium Alloys, a Promising Future
To address the urgent need for lightweight and high-performance materials, Al-Sc alloys offer competitive solutions in vital sectors:
- Aerospace & Space: Optimization of structural weight while maintaining mechanical properties.
- Automotive & Mobility: Reduced energy consumption thanks to lighter components.
- Defense Industry: Enhanced performance of strategic equipment.
- Renewable Energy: Development of more efficient solutions for wind and solar.
- 3D Printing: Additive manufacturing with materials offering unmatched mechanical performance.
3D Printing
Aircraft Parts
Electric Motor Wires
Heat Exchanger
Scandium Canada has developed two aluminum-scandium (Al-Sc) alloys, AA7075 and A535, along with their powders, initially intended for additive manufacturing (3D printing) applications. This work, carried out in collaboration with McMaster University, Ontario, Canada, has resulted in a significant body of intellectual property.
The integration of these materials into 3D printing, in particular, represents a major breakthrough for industries such as aerospace, automotive, and additive manufacturing. These two alloys are the subject of a provisional patent application filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office in September 2024, entitled: “Aluminum alloy powders for additive manufacturing. Methods of producing the same and uses thereof.”
This confirms Scandium Canada’s commitment to technological innovation. The company is currently studying the optimal structure to properly capture the value of its intellectual property.
These innovative alloys, designed to meet the requirements of lightness, mechanical strength, and durability, open up new possibilities for advanced industrial and technological applications.
Scandium+ , a division of Scandium Canada, is focused on the commercialization of all forms of alloys incorporating scandium, beginning with the pre-commercialization of its Al-Sc powders for advanced manufacturing (3D printing), and on the development of new high-performance alloys across all economic sectors.
Since its creation in 2025, Scandium+ has concentrated its efforts on three main areas:
Research & Innovation: Development of next-generation aluminum-scandium powders and alloys.
Industrial Applications: Pilot projects and trials with the aerospace, transportation, and energy sectors.
Pre-Commercialization: Validation of materials with strategic partners.
With Scandium Canada’s Crater Lake Project—the largest primary source of scandium in the world—Scandium+ will benefit from a strategic scandium supply. This local resource reduces risks related to availability, accelerates industrial validations, and strengthens the GHG footprint, while positioning Scandium Canada and its division as key players in the commercialization of aluminum-scandium alloys.
Ongoing Projects
- Development of a replacement matrix to identify the products and manufacturers that would benefit most from the mechanical properties of the company’s two Al-Sc alloys, enabling efficient and targeted pre-commercialization efforts for products that can reach the market in the short term.
- Prototyping of parts for the aerospace and automotive sectors.
- Prototyping of frames for photovoltaic cell assembly.
- Prototyping of replacement parts for heat exchangers.
- Prototyping of welding wires.
- Various R&D collaborations with universities and researchers in Canada and abroad.
