Clad sheet alloys for brazing applications
View Patent ↗This application discloses a multilayer aluminum material comprising an aluminum alloy core and aluminum alloy cladding, wherein the aluminum alloy cladding contains 0.1-1.0 wt % Cu, 0.1-0.5 wt % Fe, 0.1-1.0 wt % Mn, 3-15 wt % Si, 0.005-0.15 wt % Ti and >3-≦7 wt % Zn, remainder Al. The aluminum alloy cladding can also optionally contain one or more of 0.001-0.3 wt % Mg, 0.001-0.01 wt % Ni or 0.001-0.05 wt % of at least one of Sr, Ca or Na. A process for producing the material is also described. The material can be produced in sheet form and is suitable for brazing application. The metal forms fabricated from the multilayer aluminum material by a process comprising brazing steps are also described.
1. An aluminum material comprising an aluminum alloy core and an aluminum alloy cladding, wherein the aluminum alloy cladding consists of 0.1-0.3 wt % Cu, 0.1-0.5 wt % Fe, 0.1-1.0 wt % Mn, 3-15 wt % Si, 0.005-0.15 wt % Ti, 0.001-0.01 wt % Ni, 3.25-7 wt % Zn, 0-1.5 wt % Mg, 0-0.05 wt % Sr, 0-0.05 wt % Na, and 0-0.05 wt % Ca, remainder Al.
2. The aluminum material of claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy cladding consists of 0.15-0.3 wt % Cu, 0.1-0.4 wt % Fe, 0.2-0.7 wt % Mn, 5-12 wt % Si, 0.01-0.15 wt % Ti, 0.001-0.01 wt % Ni, and 3.25-7 wt % Zn, remainder Al.
3. The aluminum material of claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy cladding consists of 0.15-0.3 wt % Cu, 0.2-0.4 wt % Fe, 0.3-0.5 wt % Mn, 7-10 wt % Si, 0.005-0.13 wt % Ti, 0.001-0.01 wt % Ni, and 3.25-7 wt % Zn, remainder Al.
4. The aluminum material of claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy cladding consists of 0.1-0.3 wt % Cu, 0.1-0.5 wt % Fe, 0.1-1.0 wt % Mn, 3-15 wt % Si, 0.005-0.15 wt % Ti, 0.001-0.01 wt % Ni, 3.25-7 wt % Zn, and 0.005-0.05 wt % of at least one of Sr, Na or Ca, remainder Al.
5. The aluminum material of claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy cladding consists of 0.1-0.3 wt % Cu, 0.1-0.5 wt % Fe, 0.1-1.0 wt % Mn, 3-15 wt % Si, 0.005-0.15 wt % Ti, 3.25-7 wt % Zn, 0.001-0.3 wt % Mg, and 0.001-0.01 wt % Ni, remainder Al.
6. The aluminum material of claim 1 , wherein the material is in a form of a sheet comprising the aluminum alloy core and having the aluminum alloy cladding on one side of the sheet or on both sides of the sheet.
7. The aluminum material of claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy core comprises 0.005-0.7 wt % Cu, 0.3-1.5 wt % Mn, and 0.001-0.2 wt % Ti, remainder Al.
8. A process for preparing the aluminum material of claim 1 , comprising fusion casting the aluminum alloy core and the aluminum alloy cladding.
9. The process of claim 8 , further comprising preparing the aluminum alloy cladding prior to casting from scrap aluminum with addition of Si or from a combination of scrap aluminum and smelter grade aluminum.
10. A process comprising joining by brazing at least one first aluminum alloy form fabricated from the aluminum material of claim 1 with a second aluminum alloy form.
11. An object fabricated by a process comprising the process of claim 10 .
12. The object of claim 11 , wherein the object is a heater, an evaporator plate, an evaporator, a radiator, a heater core, a condenser, a tube, a pipe or a manifold.
13. A process of joining two or more aluminum forms by brazing, wherein at least one of the two or more aluminum forms is fabricated from the aluminum material of claim 1 , comprising:
assembling and securing the two or more aluminum forms together;
heating the two or more aluminum forms to a brazing temperature until joints are created among the two or more aluminum forms by capillary action; and,
cooling the two or more aluminum forms below solidus of the aluminum alloy cladding.
14. The process of claim 13 , wherein the brazing temperature is between 590° C. and 610° C.
15. An object fabricated by a process comprising the process of claim 13 .
16. The object of claim 15 , wherein the object is a heater, an evaporator plate, an evaporator, a radiator, a heater core, a condenser, a tube, a pipe or a manifold.
17. The aluminum material of claim 1 , wherein the nickel content is 0.005-0.01 wt %.
18. An aluminum material comprising an aluminum alloy core and an aluminum alloy cladding, wherein the aluminum alloy cladding comprises 0.1-0.3 wt % Cu, 0.1-0.5 wt % Fe, 0.1-1.0 wt % Mn, 3-15 wt % Si, 0.005-0.15 wt % Ti, 0.001-0.01 wt % Ni, 3.25-7 wt % Zn, and 0.005-0.05 wt % of at least one of Na or Ca, remainder Al.
19. The aluminum material of claim 18 , wherein the aluminum alloy cladding comprises 0.1-0.3 wt % Cu, 0.1-0.5 wt % Fe, 0.1-1.0 wt % Mn, 3-15 wt % Si, 0.005-0.15 wt % Ti, 3.25-7 wt % Zn, 0.005-0.05 wt % of at least one of Na or Ca, 0.001-0.3 wt % Mg, and 0.001-0.01 wt % Ni, remainder Al.
20. The aluminum material of claim 18 , wherein the aluminum alloy cladding comprises 0.005-0.01 wt % Ni.
21. A process for preparing the aluminum material of claim 1 , comprising:
casting the aluminum alloy cladding;
rolling the aluminum alloy cladding to a required thickness, thus producing rolled aluminum alloy cladding;
assembling the rolled aluminum alloy cladding onto at least one side of the rolled aluminum alloy core; and,
hot roll bonding the rolled aluminum alloy cladding onto the rolled aluminum alloy core.