HIGH-STRENGTH, HIGHLY FORMABLE ALUMINUM ALLOYS AND METHODS OF MAKING THE SAME
Described herein are high-strength, highly formable aluminum alloys and methods of making and processing such alloys. The aluminum alloys described herein contain transition metal alloying elements to provide high strength and high formability. The processing method includes multi-stage homogenization, hot and cold rolling, and solutionization steps. Also described are methods of using the aluminum alloys.
1 . An aluminum alloy, comprising 0.8-1.5 wt. % Si, 0.1-0.5 wt. % Fe, 0.5-1.0 wt. % Cu, 0.5-0.9 wt. % Mg, up to 0.1 wt. % Ti, up to 0.5 wt. % Mn, up to 0.5 wt. % Cr, up to 0.5 wt. % Zr, up to 0.5 wt. % V, up to 0.15 wt. % impurities, and Al.
2 . The aluminum alloy of claim 1 , comprising 0.9-1.4 wt. % Si, 0.1-0.35 wt. % Fe, 0.6-0.9 wt. % Cu, 0.6-0.9 wt. % Mg, 0.01-0.09 wt. % Ti, up to 0.3 wt. % Mn, up to 0.3 wt. % Cr, up to 0.3 wt. % Zr, up to 0.3 wt. % V, up to 0.15 wt. % impurities, and Al.
3 . The aluminum alloy of claim 1 , comprising 1.0-1.3 wt. % Si, 0.1-0.25 wt. % Fe, 0.7-0.9 wt. % Cu, 0.6-0.8 wt. % Mg, 0.01-0.05 wt. % Ti, up to 0.2 wt. % Mn, up to 0.2 wt. % Cr, up to 0.2 wt. % Zr, up to 0.2 wt. % V, up to 0.15 wt. % impurities, and Al.
4 . The aluminum alloy of claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy comprises at least one of Mn, Cr, Zr, and V.
5 . The aluminum alloy of claim 4 , wherein a combined content of Mn, Cr, Zr, and/or V is at least 0.14 wt. %.
6 . The aluminum alloy of claim 5 , wherein the combined content of Mn, Cr, Zr, and/or V is from 0.14 wt. %-0.4 wt. %.
7 . The aluminum alloy of claim 6 , wherein the combined content of Mn, Cr, Zr, and/or V is from 0.15 wt. %-0.25 wt. %.
8 . The aluminum alloy of claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy comprises 0.01-0.3 wt. % V.
9 . The aluminum alloy of claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy comprises excess Si and wherein an excess Si content is from 0.01-1.0.
10 . An aluminum alloy product, comprising 0.8-1.5 wt. % Si, 0.1-0.5 wt. % Fe, 0.5-1.0 wt. % Cu, 0.5-0.9 wt. % Mg, up to 0.1 wt. % Ti, up to 0.5 wt. % Mn, up to 0.5 wt. % Cr, up to 0.5 wt. % Zr, up to 0.5 wt. % V, up to 0.15 wt. % impurities, and Al.
11 . The aluminum alloy product of claim 10 , wherein the aluminum alloy product comprises a rotated cube crystallographic texture at a volume percent of at least 5%.
12 . The aluminum alloy product of claim 10 , wherein the aluminum alloy product comprises dispersoids in an amount of at least 1,500,000 dispersoids per mm 2 .
13 . The aluminum alloy product of claim 12 , wherein the dispersoids occupy an area ranging from 0.5% to 5% of the aluminum alloy product.
14 . The aluminum alloy product of claim 10 , wherein the aluminum alloy product comprises Fe-constituents.
15 . The aluminum alloy product of claim 14 , wherein the Fe-constituents comprise Al(Fe,X)Si phase particles.
16 . The aluminum alloy product of claim 14 , wherein an average particle size of the Fe-constituents is up to 4 μm.
17 . The aluminum alloy product of claim 10 , wherein the aluminum alloy product comprises a yield strength of at least 300 MPa when in a T6 temper.
18 . The aluminum alloy product of claim 10 , wherein the aluminum alloy product comprises a uniform elongation of at least 20% and a minimum bend angle of at least 120° when in a T4 temper.
19 . A method of producing an aluminum alloy product, comprising:
casting an aluminum alloy comprising 0.8-1.5 wt. % Si, 0.1-0.5 wt. % Fe, 0.5-1.0 wt. % Cu, 0.5-0.9 wt. % Mg, up to 0.1 wt. % Ti, up to 0.5 wt. % Mn, up to 0.5 wt. % Cr, up to 0.5 wt. % Zr, up to 0.5 wt. % V, up to 0.15 wt. % impurities, and Al to provide a cast article;
homogenizing the cast article in a two-stage homogenization process, wherein the two-stage homogenization process comprises heating the cast article to a first stage homogenization temperature and holding the cast article at the first stage homogenization temperature for a period of time and further heating the cast article to a second stage homogenization temperature and holding the cast article at the second stage homogenization temperature for a period of time;
hot rolling and cold rolling to provide a final gauge aluminum alloy product;
solution heat treating the final gauge aluminum alloy product; and
pre-aging the final gauge aluminum alloy product.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the first stage homogenization temperature is from 470° C. to 530° C. and the second stage homogenization temperature is from 525° C. to 575° C., and wherein the second stage homogenization temperature is higher than the first stage homogenization temperature.