Granted Patent B2

US 9,850,556 · App. 15/424,652 · Granted Dec 26, 2017

Abstract

Claims (51)

1. An aluminum alloy sheet product consisting of:

3.75-6.0 wt. % Mg;

2.5-5.0 wt. % Zn;

wherein (wt. % Mg)/(wt. % Zn) is from 0.75 to 2.40

up to 1.0 wt. % Cu;

up to 0.5 wt. % Si;

optionally at least one secondary element selected from the group consisting of Zr, Sc, Cr, Mn, Hf, V, Ti, and rare earth elements, and in the following amounts:

up to 0.20 wt. % Zr;

up to 0.30 wt. % Sc;

up to 0.50 wt. % Cr;

up to 1.0 wt. % Mn;

up to 0.25 wt. % each of any of Hf, V, and rare earth elements;

up to 0.15 wt. % Ti;

up to 0.35 wt. Fe; and

the balance being aluminum and other elements, wherein the aluminum alloy sheet product includes not greater than 0.15 wt. % each of these other elements, and wherein the total of these other elements does not exceed 0.35 wt. %;

wherein the aluminum alloy sheet product is in the form of an automotive product or an aerospace product.

2. The aluminum alloy sheet product of claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy sheet product includes at least 3.75 wt. % Mg.

3. The aluminum alloy sheet product of claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy sheet product includes not greater than 5.5 wt. % Mg.

4. The aluminum alloy sheet product of claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy sheet product includes not greater than 5.0 wt. % Mg.

5. The aluminum alloy sheet product of claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy sheet product includes not greater than 4.5 wt. % Mg.

6. The aluminum alloy sheet product of claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy sheet product includes at least 2.75 wt. % Zn.

7. The aluminum alloy sheet product of claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy sheet product includes at least 3.0 wt. % Zn.

8. The aluminum alloy sheet product of claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy sheet product includes at least 3.25 wt. % Zn.

9. The aluminum alloy sheet product of claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy sheet product includes not greater than 4.5 wt. % Zn.

10. The aluminum alloy sheet product of claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy sheet product includes not greater than 4.0 wt. % Zn.

11. The aluminum alloy sheet product of claim 1 , wherein (wt. % Mg)/(wt. % Zn) is at least 0.75.

12. The aluminum alloy sheet product of claim 1 , wherein (wt. % Mg)/(wt. % Zn) is at least 0.90.

13. The aluminum alloy sheet product of claim 1 , wherein (wt. % Mg)/(wt. % Zn) is at least 1.00.

14. The aluminum alloy sheet product of claim 1 , wherein (wt. % Mg)/(wt. % Zn) is at least 1.02.

15. The aluminum alloy sheet product of claim 1 , wherein (wt. % Mg)/(wt. % Zn) is not greater than 2.00.

16. The aluminum alloy sheet product of claim 1 , wherein (wt. % Mg)/(wt. % Zn) is not greater than 1.75.

17. The aluminum alloy sheet product of claim 1 , wherein (wt. % Mg)/(wt. % Zn) is not greater than 1.50.

18. The aluminum alloy sheet product of claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy sheet product is one of a hood, a fender, a door, a roof, a trunk lid, or a body-in-white product of an automobile.

19. A method comprising:

(a) casting an aluminum alloy into an aluminum alloy body, wherein the aluminum alloy body consists of:

3.75-6.0 wt. % Mg;

2.5-5.0 wt. % Zn;

wherein (wt. % Mg)/(wt. % Zn) is from 0.75 to 2.40

up to 1.0 wt. % Cu;

up to 0.5 wt. % Si;

optionally at least one secondary element selected from the group consisting of Zr, Sc, Cr, Mn, Hf, V, Ti, and rare earth elements, and in the following amounts:

up to 0.20 wt. % Zr;

up to 0.30 wt. % Sc;

up to 0.50 wt. % Cr;

up to 1.0 wt. % Mn;

up to 0.25 wt. % each of any of Hf, V, and rare earth elements;

up to 0.15 wt. % Ti;

up to 0.35 wt. Fe; and

the balance being aluminum and other elements, wherein the aluminum alloy sheet product includes not greater than 0.15 wt. % each of these other elements, and wherein the total of these other elements does not exceed 0.35 wt. %;

(b) processing the aluminum alloy body into one of a W temper and a T temper, wherein the processing step (b) comprises solution heat treating and then quenching the aluminum alloy body.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the processing step (b) comprises artificial aging the aluminum alloy body to one of a T6, T7 or a T8 temper, wherein the aluminum alloy body in the T6 or T7 temper realizes a higher strength than the aluminum alloy body in a T4 temper, or wherein the aluminum alloy body in the T8 temper realizes a higher strength than the aluminum alloy body in a T3 temper.

Assignments (13)