US 2023/0407446 A1Published application

Trace element modification of iron-rich phase in aluminum-silicon alloys to accommodate high iron content

AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC

InventorsHenry ZHAN, Pan WANG, Jianfeng WANG

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Abstract

Methods and heat-treated cast aluminum alloy components for a vehicle formed from an aluminum alloy having high levels of recycled aluminum scrap are provided. The alloy may have, by mass, silicon at ≥5% to ≤11%, magnesium at ≤0.5%, iron at ≥0.2% to ≤1.1%, copper at ≤0.5%, zinc at ≤0.5%, titanium at ≤0.2%, chromium at ≤0.02%, manganese at ≤0.05%, strontium at ≤200 ppm; an alloying element at ≥50 ppm to ≤500 ppm selected from the group consisting of: barium, lanthanum, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, and combinations thereof, and a balance aluminum. The heat-treated cast aluminum alloy component is substantially free of faceted iron-containing intermetallics having a platelet shape and at least one region has a yield strength of ≥180 MPa and an elongation of ≥7%.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A heat-treated cast aluminum alloy component for a vehicle formed from an aluminum alloy comprising:

silicon (Si) at greater than or equal to about 5% to less than or equal to about 11% by mass;
magnesium (Mg) at less than or equal to about 0.5% by mass;
iron (Fe) at greater than or equal to about 0.2% to less than or equal to about 1.1% by mass;
copper (Cu) at less than or equal to about 0.5% by mass;
zinc (Zn) at less than or equal to about 0.5% by mass;
titanium (Ti) at less than or equal to about 0.2% by mass;
chromium (Cr) at less than or equal to about 0.02% by mass;
manganese (Mn) at less than or equal to about 0.05% by mass;
strontium (Sr) at less than or equal to about 200 ppm;
an alloying element at greater than or equal to about 50 ppm to less than or equal to about 500 ppm, wherein the alloying element is selected from the group consisting of:
barium (Ba), lanthanum (La), samarium (Sm), europium (Eu), gadolinium (Gd), terbium (Tb), dysprosium (Dy), holmium (Ho), erbium (Er), thulium (Tm), ytterbium (Yb), and combinations thereof;
and
a balance aluminum (Al), wherein the heat-treated cast aluminum alloy component is substantially free of faceted iron-containing intermetallics having a platelet shape and at least one region has a yield strength of greater than or equal to about 180 MPa and an elongation of greater than or equal to about 7%.

10 more elements

A method of making a recycled aluminum alloy component comprising:

melting an aluminum alloy precursor comprising greater than or equal to about 70% by mass aluminum recycling scrap to form a molten alloy, the aluminum alloy precursor having a composition comprising:
silicon (Si) at greater than or equal to about 5% to less than or equal to about 11% by mass;
magnesium (Mg) at less than or equal to about 0.5% by mass;
iron (Fe) at greater than or equal to about 0.2% to less than or equal to about 1.1% by mass;
copper (Cu) at less than or equal to about 0.5% by mass;
zinc (Zn) at less than or equal to about 0.5% by mass;
titanium (Ti) at less than or equal to about 0.2% by mass;
chromium (Cr) at less than or equal to about 0.02% by mass;
manganese (Mn) at less than or equal to about 0.05% by mass;
strontium (Sr) at less than or equal to about 200 ppm;
and
a balance aluminum (Al);
introducing a master alloy into the molten alloy, the master alloy comprising a matrix element selected from the group consisting of:
aluminum (Al), magnesium (Mg), silicon (Si), and combinations thereof and an alloying element selected from the group consisting of:
barium (Ba), lanthanum (La), samarium (Sm), europium (Eu), gadolinium (Gd), terbium (Tb), dysprosium (Dy), holmium (Ho), erbium (Er), thulium (Tm), ytterbium (Yb), and combinations thereof;
and
casting by solidifying the molten alloy at a maximum rate of cooling of less than or equal to about 20° C./second to form an as-cast recycled aluminum alloy component;
and
heat treating the as-cast recycled aluminum alloy component to be substantially free of faceted iron-containing intermetallics having a platelet shape and to have at least one region having a yield strength of greater than or equal to about 180 MPa and an elongation of greater than or equal to about 7%.

16 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.