High-performance 6000-series aluminum alloy structures

An aluminum alloy structure, comprising:

• about 0.6% to about 0.9% by weight magnesium, about 0.35% to about 0.7% by weight silicon, about 0.2% to about 0.5% by weight zirconium, and about 0.005% to about 0.2% by weight tin, with aluminum as the remainder;
• and
• Al3Zr nanoscale precipitates having an average diameter of no more than about 20 nm, having an L12 structure in an a-Al face centered cubic matrix, and having an average number density of at least about 2021 m−3;
• wherein the aluminum alloy structure has a yield strength of at least about 400 MPa, a tensile strength of at least about 420 MPa, and an elongation at break of at least about 3%.

An aluminum alloy structure, comprising:

• about 0.6% to about 0.9% by weight magnesium, about 0.35% to about 0.7% by weight silicon, about 0.2% to about 0.5% by weight zirconium, and about 0.005% to about 0.2% by weight tin, with aluminum as the remainder;
• and
• Al3Zr nanoscale precipitates having an average diameter of no more than about 20 nm, having an L12 structure in an α-Al face centered cubic matrix, and having an average number density of at least about 2021m−3;
• wherein the aluminum alloy structure has a yield strength of at least about 270 MPa, a tensile strength of at least about 290 MPa, and an elongation at break of at least about 8%.

An aluminum alloy structure,comprising:

• aluminum;
• magnesium;
• and
• silicon;
• wherein the structure has a high electrical conductivity value EC of at least about 47.5% IACS, and has a high tensile strength Value of at least [960 MPa−(11 MPa/% IACS)(EC % IACS)].

A method of fabricating an aluminum alloy structure, the method comprising:

• a) melting aluminum, while adding master alloys, at a temperature of about 700° C. to about 900° C. to form melted constituents;
• b) then casting the melted constituents into a casting mold at ambient temperature to form a casted ingot;
• c) then cold-rolling the casted ingot to form a rolled structure;
• d) then heat aging the rolled structure at a temperature about 350° C. to about 460° C. for a time of about 0.5 hours to about 8 hours to form an aged structure;
• e) then solutionizing the aged structure at a temperature of about 500° C. to about 580° C. for a time of about 0.2 hours to about 6 hours to form a solutionized structure;
• and
• f) then heat aging the solutionized structure at a temperature about 100° C. to about 200° C. for a time of about 0.5 hours to about 48 hours to form the aluminum alloy structure.

A method of fabricating an aluminum alloy structure, the method comprising:

• a) melting aluminum., while adding master alloys, at a temperature of about 700° C. to about 900° C. to form melted constituents;
• b) then casting the melted constituents into a casting mold at ambient temperature to form a casted ingot;
• c) then heat aging the casted ingot at a temperature of about 350° C. to about 460° C. for a time of about 0.5 hours to about 8 hours to form a first aged structure;
• d) then solutionizing the first aged structure at a temperature of about 500° C. to about 580° C. for a time of about 0.2 hours to about 6 hours to form a solutionized structure;
• e) then heat aging the solutionized structure at a temperature about 160° C. to about 220° C. for a time of about 0.2 hours to about 6 hours to form a second aged structure;
• f) then cold-rolling the second aged structure to form a rolled structure;
• and
• g) then heat aging the rolled structure at a temperature about 80° C. to about 120° C. for a time of about 24 hours to about 100 hours to form the aluminum alloy structure.

A method of fabricating an aluminum alloy structure, the method comprising:

• a) melting aluminum, while adding master alloys, at a temperature of about 700° C. to about 900° C. to form melted constituents;
• b) then casting the melted constituents into a casting mold at ambient temperature form a casted ingot;
• c) then solutionizing the casted ingot at a temperature of about 500° C. to about 580° C. for a time of about 0.2 hours to about 6 hours to form a solutionized ingot;
• d) then heat aging the solutionized ingot at a temperature about 180° C. to about 235° C. for a time of about 0.5 hours to about 48 hours to form an aged ingot;
• and
• e) then cold-rolling the aged ingot at ambient temperature with an area reduction from about 1000% to about 8000% to form the cold-rolled aluminum alloy structure.