High strength Mg-Si type aluminum alloy
AssigneeNorthwest Aluminum Company
InventorS. Craig Bergsma
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is an improved aluminum base alloy comprising an improved aluminum base alloy comprising 0.2 to 2 wt. % Si, 0.3 to 1.7 wt. % Mg, 0 to 1.2 wt. % Cu, 0 to 1.1 wt. % Mn, 0.01 to 0.4 wt. % Cr, and at least one of the elements selected from the group consisting of 0.01 to 0.3 wt. % V, 0.001 to 0.1 wt. % Be and 0.01 to 0.1 wt. % Sr, the remainder comprising aluminum, incidental elements and impurities. Also disclosed are methods of casting and thermomechanical processing of the alloy.
Claims31
A method of producing a wrought aluminum alloy, heat treated product having improved levels of strength and formability, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a body of an aluminum base alloy containing 0.2 to 2 wt. % Si, 0.3 to 1.7 wt. % Mg, 0.32 to 1.2 wt. % Cu, 0.05 to 0.4 wt. % Cr, 0.01 to 0.4 wt. % Fe, max. 0.2 wt. % Ti, less than 0.05 wt. % Zn, and at least one of the elements selected from the group consisting of 0.01 to 0.3 wt. % V, 0.001 to 0.1 wt. % Be and 0.01 to 0.1 wt. % Sr, the remainder comprising aluminum, incidental elements and impurities;
- (b) subjecting said body to a thermal treatment for 0.5 to 24 hours in a temperature range of 600.degree. to 875.degree. F.;
- (c) after said thermal treatment, working said body;
- (d) solution heat treating said worked body;
- and
- (e) artificial aging said solution heat treated product to a tensile strength of greater than 60 ksi.
A method of producing a wrought aluminum alloy, heat treated product having improved levels of strength and formability, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a body of an aluminum base alloy comprising 0.6 to 1.2 wt. % Si, 1 to 1.6 wt. % Mg, 0.51 to 1 wt. % Cu, max. 0.05 wt. % Mn, 0.05 to 0.3 wt. % Cr, 0.1 to 0.4 wt. % Fe, max. 0.2 wt. % Ti, less than 0.05 wt. % Zn, and at least one of the elements selected from the group consisting of 0.01 to 0.3 wt. % V, 0.001 to 0.05 wt. % Be and 0.01 to 0.1 wt. % Sr, the remainder comprising aluminum, incidental elements and impurities;
- (b) subjecting said body to a thermal treatment for 0.5 to 24 hours in a temperature range of 600.degree. to 875.degree. F. to provide a thermal treated body;
- (c) cooling said thermal treated body at a rate of 5.degree. to 100.degree. F./hour to a temperature of 500.degree. to 200.degree. F.;
- (d) working said body;
- (e) solution heat treating said worked body;
- and
- (f) artificial aging said solution heat treated product to a tensile strength of greater than 60 ksi.
A method of producing an aluminum base alloy, heat treated product having improved levels of strength and ductility, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a cast body of an aluminum base alloy comprising 0.2 to 2 wt. % Si, 0.3 to 1.7 wt. % Mg, 0 to 1.2 wt. % Cu, 0 to 1.1 wt. % Mn, 0.01 to 0.4 wt. % Cr, and at least one of the elements selected from the group consisting of 0.01 to 0.3 wt. % V, 0.001 to 0.1 wt. % Be and 0.01 to 0.1 wt. % Sr, the remainder comprising aluminum, incidental elements and impurities;
- (b) subjecting said cast body to a thermal treatment for 0.5 to 24 hours in a temperature range of 600 to 875.degree. F.;
- (c) working said body after said thermal treatment
- (d) then solution heat treating said worked body;
- and
- (e) aging said solution heat treated body to a tensile strength of greater than 60 ksi to provide said heat treated product.
A method of producing an aluminum base alloy, heat treated ingot having improved levels of strength and ductility, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) casting an ingot of an aluminum base alloy comprising 0.2 to 2 wt. % Si, 0.3 to 1.7 wt. % Mg, 0.51 to 1.2 wt. % Cu, 0.5 wt. % max. Mn, 0.01 to 0.4 wt. % Cr, and at least one of the elements selected from the group consisting of 0.01 to 0.3 wt. % V, 0.001 to 0.1 wt. % Be and 0.01 to 0.1 wt. % Sr, the remainder comprising aluminum, incidental elements and impurities, the ingot being solidified to produce a dendritic cell spacing in the range of 5 to 100 .mu.m;
- (b) subjecting said ingot to a thermal treatment for 0.5 to 24 hours in a temperature range of 600.degree. to 875.degree. F.;
- (c) solution heat treating said ingot;
- and
- (d) aging said ingot to a tensile strength of greater than 60 ksi.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.