6XXX aluminum alloys, and methods for producing the same
View Patent ↗New 6xxx aluminum alloy bodies and methods of producing the same are disclosed. The new 6xxx aluminum alloy bodies may be produced by preparing the aluminum alloy body for post-solutionizing cold work, cold working by at least 25%, and then thermally treating. The new 6xxx aluminum alloy bodies may realize improved strength and other properties.
1. A method comprising:
(a) preparing an aluminum alloy body having 0.1-2.0 wt. % silicon and 0.1-3.0 wt. % magnesium for post-solutionizing cold work;
(i) wherein the preparing step comprises solutionizing of the aluminum alloy body;
(ii) wherein at least one of the silicon and the magnesium is the predominate alloying element of the aluminum alloy body other than aluminum; and
(iii) wherein the aluminum alloy body contains sufficient solute to promote at least one of a strain hardening response and a precipitation hardening response to achieve a long-transverse tensile yield strength of at least 60 ksi; and
(b) after the preparing step (a), cold working the aluminum alloy body by at least 50%;
(c) after the cold working step (b), thermally treating the aluminum alloy body;
wherein the cold working and the thermally treating steps are accomplished to achieve the at least 60 ksi long-transverse tensile yield strength and a long-transverse elongation of at least 8%.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the preparing step (a) comprises:
casting the aluminum alloy body via a semi-continuous casting process.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the preparing step (a) comprises:
homogenizing the aluminum alloy body; and
hot working the aluminum alloy body;
wherein the solutionizing step (a)(i) occurs after the hot working step.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the preparing step (a) comprises:
continuously casting the aluminum alloy body.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the preparing step (a) comprises:
concomitant to the continuously casting step, completing the solutionizing step (a)(i).
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the solutionizing step (a)(i) comprises quenching the aluminum alloy body, and wherein the quenching occurs in the absence of deformation of the aluminum alloy body.
7. The method of claim 1 , comprising forming the aluminum alloy body into a shape during the thermal treatment step (c).
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein no purposeful thermal heating treatments are applied to the aluminum alloy body between the solutionizing step (a)(i), and the cold working step (b).
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cold working step (b) occurs in the absence of purposeful heating of the aluminum alloy body.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cold working step (b) comprises reducing the aluminum alloy body to its substantially final form.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the cold working step (b) comprises cold rolling the aluminum alloy body to final gauge.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cold working step (b) comprises cold working the aluminum alloy body in the range of from at least 55% to 90%.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thermally treating step (c) comprises maintaining the aluminum alloy body below its recrystallization temperature.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the cold rolling step (b) and the thermally treating step (c) are performed such that the aluminum alloy body realizes a predominately unrecrystallized microstructure.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy body include at least one of:
0.35 to 2.0 wt. % Cu; and
0.35 to 2.0 wt. % Zn.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the aluminum alloy body includes 0.5-1.5 wt. % Cu and 0.5-1.5 wt. % Zn.
17. A method comprising:
(a) preparing an aluminum alloy body having 0.1-2.0 wt. % silicon and 0.1-3.0 wt. magnesium for post-solutionizing cold work;
(i) wherein the preparing step comprises solutionizing of the aluminum alloy body;
(ii) wherein at least one of the silicon and the magnesium is the predominate alloying element of the aluminum alloy body other than aluminum; and
(iii) wherein the aluminum alloy body includes at least one of the following:
(A) at least 1.1 wt. % Mg; and
(B) from 0.35 wt. % Cu to 2.0 wt. % Cu; and
(C) from 0.35 wt. % Zn to 2.0 wt. % Zn;
(b) after the preparing step (a), cold working the aluminum alloy body by at least 50%;
(c) after the cold working step (b), thermally treating the aluminum alloy body;
wherein the cold working and the thermally treating steps are accomplished to achieve an improved long-transverse tensile yield strength as compared the aluminum alloy body in the T6 temper
wherein the aluminum alloy body contains sufficient solute to promote at least one of a strain hardening response and a precipitation hardening response to achieve a long-transverse tensile yield strength of at least 60 ksi; and
wherein the cold working and the thermally treating steps are accomplished to achieve the at least 60 ksi long-transverse tensile yield strength and a long-transverse elongation of at least 8%.
18. A method comprising:
(a) solutionizing an aluminum alloy body having 0.1-2.0 wt. % silicon and 0.1-3.0 wt. magnesium, wherein at least one of the silicon and the magnesium is the predominate alloying element of the aluminum alloy body other than aluminum;
(b) after the solutionizing step (a), cold working the aluminum alloy body by more than 50%;
(i) wherein, after the cold working step (b), the aluminum alloy body is in its substantially final form; and
(c) after the cold working step (b), thermally treating the aluminum alloy body;
wherein the cold working and the thermally treating steps are accomplished to achieve an increase in long-transverse tensile yield strength as compared to a reference-version of the aluminum alloy body in the as cold-worked condition;
wherein the aluminum alloy body contains sufficient solute to promote at least one of a strain hardening response and a precipitation hardening response to achieve a long-transverse tensile yield strength of at least 60 ksi; and
wherein the cold working and the thermally treating steps are accomplished to achieve the at least 60 ksi long-transverse tensile yield strength and a long-transverse elongation of at least 8%.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cold working step is initiated not more than 20 hours after completion of the solutionizing step.
20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thermally treating step comprises heating the aluminum alloy body for a time sufficient to reach peak strength.
21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cold working and the thermally treating steps are accomplished to achieve the at least 60 ksi long-transverse tensile yield strength and a long-transverse elongation of at least 10%.
22. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cold working and the thermally treating steps are accomplished to achieve the at least 60 ksi long-transverse tensile yield strength and a long-transverse elongation of at least 12%.