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US 7,922,841 B2Granted
Method for preparing high-temperature nanophase aluminum-alloy sheets and aluminum-alloy sheets prepared thereby
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsClifford C. Bampton, Patrick B. Berbon, Steven G. Keener
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Abstract
An aluminum or aluminum-alloy material sheet comprised of an aluminum material having an ultra-fine, submicron grain structure. The strength and physical properties of the aluminum or aluminum-alloy material sheet are improved over previous aluminum and aluminum-alloy material sheets because the aluminum is produced by cryomilling the aluminum or aluminum-alloy materials into a metal powder with ultra-fine, submicron grain structure. The powder is consolidated and rolled into the form of a sheet.
Claims15
A method of producing an aluminum or aluminum-alloy material sheet comprising
- providing an aluminum or aluminum-alloy metal powder having ultra-fine, submicron grain size by cryomilling an aluminum or aluminum-alloy raw material, agglomerating the aluminum or aluminum-alloy metal powder following the cryomilling and degassing the aluminum or aluminum-alloy metal powder following the agglomerating;
- consolidating the metal powder following the degassing;
- and
- cold-forming the consolidated metal into a sheet comprising:
- initially cold-forming the consolidated metal into an intermediate form;
- heating the intermediate form to a temperature between 600° F. and 700° F. following initial cold-forming of the consolidated metal to reduce cold work hardening and to improve ductility, wherein heating the intermediate form to reduce cold work hardening and to improve ductility comprises maintaining the workpiece substantially free of recrystallization or grain growth;
- and
- further cold-forming the consolidated metal after heating the intermediate form.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.