Brazed nano-grained aluminum structures
View Patent ↗A method of processing a brazed article includes forming a braze joint with an aluminum component comprising a nano-grained aluminum alloy.
1. A method of processing a brazed article, comprising:
using a braze filler material consisting essentially of about 10 wt %-40 wt % of magnesium, about X wt %-0.5 wt % of silicon where the variable X is a non-zero amount, and a balance of aluminum, forming a braze joint with a nano-grained aluminum alloy component consisting essentially of Z wt %-12 wt % of magnesium where the variable Z is a non-zero amount, at least about 0.3 wt % of nitrogen, and a balance of aluminum.
2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the braze filler material consists essentially of about 35 wt % of magnesium, about 0.4 wt % of silicon, and a balance of aluminum.
3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the nano-grained aluminum alloy component consists essentially of about 4 wt %-4.9 wt % of magnesium, at least about 0.3 wt % of nitrogen, and a balance of aluminum.
4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the nano-grained aluminum alloy component consists essentially of about 7.5 wt % of magnesium, at least about 0.3 wt % of nitrogen, and a balance of aluminum.
5. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising homogenizing the braze filler material to diffuse aluminum from the nano-grained aluminum alloy component into the braze filler material to thereby decrease a relative amount of magnesium in the braze filler material.
6. The method as recited in claim 1 , comprising forming the braze joint in a nitrogen atmosphere having greater than 80 vol % nitrogen.
7. The method as recited in claim 1 , comprising heating a braze filler material at a temperature of about 842° F.
8. The method as recited in claim 1 , comprising heating a braze filler material at a temperature of about 830-900° F.
9. The method as recited in claim 1 , comprising cryomilling an aluminum alloy to form the nano-grained aluminum alloy component having an average grain size less than about 0.5 micrometers.
10. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the braze filler material has a eutectic composition.
11. The method as recited in claim 1 , including melting the braze filler material and wetting the nano-grained aluminum alloy component with the melted braze filler material.
12. The method as recited in claim 11 , including brazing in a nitrogen environment of greater than about 80 vol % nitrogen and forming surface nitrides on the nano-grained aluminum alloy component to promote wetting between the melted braze filler and the nano-grained aluminum alloy component.
13. A brazed article comprising:
a nano-grained aluminum alloy component consisting essentially of Z wt %-12 wt % of magnesium where the variable Z is a non-zero amount, at least about 0.3 wt % of nitrogen, and a balance of aluminum; and
a braze alloy material joined with the nano-grained aluminum alloy component, the braze alloy material consisting essentially of about 10 wt %-40 wt % of magnesium, about X wt %-0.5 wt % of silicon where the variable X is a non-zero amount, and a balance of aluminum.
14. The brazed article as recited in claim 13 , wherein the nano-grained aluminum alloy component consists essentially of about 4 wt %-4.9 wt % of magnesium, at least about 0.3 wt % of nitrogen, and a balance of aluminum.
15. The brazed article as recited in claim 13 , wherein the nano-grained aluminum alloy component consists essentially of about 7.5 wt %-12 wt % of magnesium, at least about 0.3 wt % of nitrogen, and a balance of aluminum.
16. The brazed article as recited in claim 13 , wherein the braze filler material has a first amount of magnesium and the nano-grained aluminum alloy component has a second amount of magnesium that is less than the first amount of magnesium.
17. The brazed article as recited in claim 13 , wherein the nano-grained aluminum alloy component comprises an average grain size less than about 0.5 micrometers.
18. The brazed article as recited in claim 13 , wherein the braze alloy material has a eutectic composition.
19. A brazed article comprising:
a heat exchanger component including a nano-grained aluminum alloy consisting essentially of Z wt %-12 wt % of magnesium where the variable Z is a non-zero amount, at least about 0.3 wt % of nitrogen, and a balance of aluminum; and
a braze alloy material joined with the nano-grained aluminum alloy of the heat exchanger component, the braze alloy material consisting essentially of about 10 wt %-40 wt % of magnesium, about X wt %-0.5 wt % of silicon where the variable X is a non-zero amount, and a balance of aluminum.
20. The brazed article as recited in claim 19 , wherein the heat exchanger component comprises at least one of a heat exchanger tube or a heat exchanger fin.
21. The brazed article as recited in claim 19 , wherein braze alloy material has a eutectic composition.