ALUMINUM ALLOYS HAVING IRON, SILICON, VANADIUM AND COPPER
New aluminum alloys having iron, vanadium, silicon and copper are disclosed. The new alloys may include from 3 to 12 wt. % Fe, from 0.1 to 3 wt. % V, from 0.1 to 3 wt. % Si, and from 1.0 to 6 wt. % Cu, the balance being aluminum and impurities. The new aluminum alloys may be produced via additive manufacturing techniques, which may facilitate rapid solidification of a molten pool of the aluminum alloy.
1 . An aluminum alloy consisting essentially of:
from 3 to 12 wt. % Fe;
from 0.1 to 3 wt. % V;
from 0.1 to 3 wt. % Si; and
from 1.0 to 6 wt. % Cu;
the balance being aluminum and impurities.
2 . An aluminum alloy body made from the aluminum alloy of claim 1 .
3 . The aluminum alloy body of claim 2 , wherein the aluminum alloy body is in the form of an engine component for an aerospace vehicle.
4 . The aluminum alloy body of claim 2 , comprising from 5 to 35 vol. % AlFeVSi dispersoids.
5 . The aluminum alloy body of claim 4 , wherein the AlFeVSi dispersoids comprise at least some copper.
6 . The aluminum alloy body of claim 2 , comprising a cellular structure comprising iron and copper.
7 . A method of making an aluminum alloy body, comprising:
(a) dispersing a powder comprising in a bed, wherein the powder consists essentially of:
from 3 to 12 wt. % Fe;
from 0.1 to 3 wt. % V;
from 0.1 to 3 wt. % Si; and
from 1.0 to 6 wt. % Cu,
the balance being aluminum (Al) and impurities;
(b) selectively heating a portion of the powder to a temperature above the liquidus temperature of the particular aluminum alloy body to be formed;
(c) forming a molten pool having the Fe, V, Si, Cu, and Al;
(d) cooling the molten pool at a cooling rate of at least 1000° C. per second; and
(e) repeating steps (a)-(d) to form an additively manufactured aluminum alloy body.
8 . The method of claim 7 , comprising:
completing the additively manufactured aluminum alloy body, thereby realizing a final aluminum alloy product;
naturally aging the final aluminum alloy product; and
after the natural aging, artificially aging the final aluminum alloy product.
9 . The method of claim 8 , comprising:
after the naturally aging step, deforming the final aluminum alloy product by from 1 to 10%.
10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the artificial aging comprises:
heating the final aluminum alloy product at a temperature of from 125° C. to 300° C. and for a period of from 2 to 48 hours.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the final aluminum alloy product is in the form of an engine component for an aerospace or automotive vehicle, wherein the method comprises:
incorporating the engine component into the aerospace or automotive vehicle.
12 . The method of claim 11 , comprising:
operating the aerospace or automotive vehicle.
13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the final aluminum alloy product is a compressor wheel for a turbo charger.
14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the final aluminum alloy product is a blade for a turbine.
15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the final aluminum alloy product is a heat exchanger.