Vedanta Aluminium secures patent for breakthrough bismuth-aluminium alloy, pioneering sustainable metallurgy

THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 17, 2025

Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest producer of aluminium, has achieved a major milestone with the grant of its first new product development patent for a lead- and tin-free bismuth-aluminium alloy. This innovation marks a significant advancement in sustainable metallurgy, addressing the global phaseout of hazardous elements such as lead and tin while offering a high-machinability, eco-friendly solution for critical industrial applications.

Developed entirely by Vedanta Aluminium’s in-house R&D team, the alloy represents a fusion of engineering innovation and environmental stewardship. By replacing toxic elements like lead and tin with bismuth, the new material not only aligns with global sustainability standards but also delivers superior machinability and mechanical strength. The breakthrough demonstrates the company’s continued leadership in advancing material science for a greener future.

Engineered for components used across the automotive, electronics, and textile industries, the alloy is ideal for machining-intensive applications. Its potential uses include automotive parts such as ABS and hydraulic manifolds, valve blocks, transmission sleeves, air-conditioning components, steering yokes, drive shafts, and electrical connectors. It is also suited for precision electronic components, including camera and clock parts, as well as mobile phone housings.

“Innovation and sustainability are at the heart of Vedanta Aluminium’s R&D efforts, driving us to create solutions that advance our environmental goals while delivering world-class breakthrough products,” said Rajiv Kumar, CEO, Vedanta Aluminium. “This patent validates our commitment to pushing the boundaries of material science while embedding sustainability across our value chain. The bismuth-aluminium alloy represents the future of responsible manufacturing,” he added.

The innovation was driven by growing customer demand for sustainable, high-performance alternatives to conventional machinable alloys like AA6262 and AA6020, which contain lead and tin and are now under regulatory scrutiny. In their place, industries have often relied on standard grades such as AA6061 and AA6082, which, however, suffer from drawbacks including poor surface finish, lower tool life, higher cutting loads, and longer operation times.

Vedanta Aluminium’s new bismuth-aluminium alloy overcomes these limitations by combining sustainability with performance, enabling industries to adopt cleaner and more efficient materials without compromise. Laboratory trials have demonstrated its superior properties, with 8 per cent higher tensile strength, 21 per cent higher yield strength, and 17 per cent greater hardness compared to conventional grades. The alloy also delivers smaller, easily breakable chip formation, leading to faster machining and improved efficiency. Additionally, it offers up to 30 per cent smoother surface finish and significantly longer tool life, even under high-speed machining conditions

This patented alloy u8nderscores Vedanta Aluminium’s dedication to sustainable product innovation and supports national missions such as ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ by promoting indigenous technological advancement. It also contributes to the company’s long-term vision of achieving Net Zero Carbon Emissions by 2050.

Through such pathbreaing innovations, Vedanta Aluminium continues to steer India’s transition toward sustainable industrial growth, setting new benchmarks in environmentally responsible metallurgy and advanced manufacturing.