Aluminum alloys with optimum combinations of formability, corrosion resistance, and hot workability, and methods of use

A method of improving the formability and corrosion resistance of an aluminum alloy article without a loss of hot workability, comprising:

• providing an alloy composition comprising alloying amounts, in weight percent, of between about 0.05 and 0.5% silicon, an amount of manganese up to about 2.0%, an amount of iron between about 0.1% and up to about 1.0%, between about 0.03 and 0.35% titanium, and between about 0.06 and 1.0% zinc, with the balance aluminum and inevitable impurities, and forming the article from the alloy composition;
• wherein the ratio of manganese to iron in the alloy composition is controlled between about 0.5 and 6.0, and the total amount of iron and manganese in the composition is controlled to be greater than about 0.3% so as to form a finished microstructure in the article with greater than about 0.5 volume fraction of intermetallic compounds, and wherein an electrolytic potential difference between an aluminum matrix of the article and the intermetallic compounds is less than about 0.2 volts, the intermetallic compounds having an aspect ratio of less than about 5.0;
• and
• forming said alloy composition into tubing useful for a heat exchanger.