Aluminum wheels and methods for casting aluminum wheels using high scrap aluminum content

1. A method for casting an aluminum wheel including a hub, a rim, and a plurality of spokes connected the hub to the rim, the method comprising:

preparing a melt having a predetermined chemistry and including silicon in a range from 8.5 to 10% mass, iron (Fe) in a range from 0.1 to 0.25% mass, and aluminum comprising greater than or equal to 70% mass scrap aluminum;

degassing and refining the melt;

adding a grain refiner including aluminum-titanium-vanadium-boron (Al—Ti—V—B) and a master alloy to the melt; and

casting the aluminum wheel,

wherein the aluminum wheel has an average grain size of a spoke region in a range from 50 μm to 250 μm.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the melt comprises greater than 70% mass scrap aluminum.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein casting the aluminum wheel includes tilt casting the aluminum wheel at a predetermined temperature in a range from 680° C. to 720° C.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

casting the aluminum wheel includes low pressure die casting (LPDC) the aluminum wheel at a predetermined temperature in a range from 680° C. to 720° C.; and

a die configured to cast the aluminum wheel is made of a tooling steel having a thermal conductivity greater than 32 in a temperature range from 200° C. to 600° C.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the melt includes greater than 300 parts per million vanadium.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the melt further includes:

magnesium (Mg) in a range from 0.25 to 0.4% mass;

copper (Cu) in a range from 0.01 to 0.2% mass;

zinc (Zn) in a range from 0.01 to 0.2% mass;

titanium (Ti) in a range from 0.01 to 0.2% mass;

strontium (Sr) in a range from 10 ppm to 200 ppm;

chromium (Cr) in a range from 0.01 to 0.2% mass;

manganese (Mn) in a range from 0.01 to 0.2% mass; and

vanadium (V) in a range from 0.03 to 0.05% mass.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the melt further includes:

magnesium (Mg) in a range from 0.25 to 0.4% mass;

copper (Cu) in a range from 0.01 to 0.1% mass;

zinc (Zn) in a range from 0.01 to 0.1% mass;

titanium (Ti) in a range from 0.01 to 0.15% mass;

strontium (Sr) in a range from 50 ppm to 200 ppm;

chromium (Cr) in a range from 0.01 to 0.15% mass;

manganese (Mn) in a range from 0.01 to 0.15% mass; and

vanadium (V) in a range from 0.03 to 0.05% mass.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aluminum wheel has an average secondary dendrite arm spacing (SDAS) in a range from 20 μm to 30 μm in a spoke region.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein a tensile sample cut from a spoke region of the aluminum wheel has a yield strength greater than 170 MPa and tensile elongation greater than 3%.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aluminum wheel has:

an average secondary dendrite arm spacing (SDAS) of the spoke region in a range from 20 μm to 30 μm;

a yield strength greater than 170 MPa; and

an elongation to fracture greater than 3%.

11. An aluminum wheel comprising:

a hub;

a rim; and

a plurality of spokes connected the hub to the rim,

wherein the aluminum wheel is cast and includes:

silicon (Si) in a range from 8.5 to 10% mass;

iron (Fe) in a range from 0.1 to 0.25% mass; and

aluminum comprising greater than or equal to 70% mass scrap aluminum, and

wherein the aluminum wheel has an average grain size of a spoke region in a range from 50 μm to 250 μm.

12. The aluminum wheel of claim 11 , wherein the aluminum wheel further includes:

magnesium (Mg) in a range from 0.25 to 0.4% mass;

copper (Cu) in a range from 0.01 to 0.2% mass;

zinc (Zn) in a range from 0.01 to 0.2% mass;

titanium (Ti) in a range from 0.01 to 0.2% mass;

strontium (Sr) in a range from 10 ppm to 200 ppm;

chromium (Cr) in a range from 0.01 to 0.2% mass;

manganese (Mn) in a range from 0.01 to 0.2% mass; and

vanadium (V) in a range from 0.03 to 0.05% mass.

13. The aluminum wheel of claim 12 , wherein the silicon (Si) is in a range from 8.5 to 9.5% mass.

14. The aluminum wheel of claim 11 , wherein the aluminum wheel further includes:

magnesium (Mg) in a range from 0.25 to 0.4% mass;

copper (Cu) in a range from 0.01 to 0.1% mass;

zinc (Zn) in a range from 0.01 to 0.1% mass;

titanium (Ti) in a range from 0.01 to 0.15% mass;

strontium (Sr) in a range from 50 ppm to 200 ppm;

chromium (Cr) in a range from 0.01 to 0.15% mass;

manganese (Mn) in a range from 0.01 to 0.15% mass; and

vanadium (V) in a range from 0.03 to 0.05% mass.

15. The aluminum wheel of claim 11 , wherein the aluminum wheel has an average secondary dendrite arm spacing (SDAS) of the spoke region in a range from 20 μm to 30 μm.

16. The aluminum wheel of claim 11 , wherein the aluminum wheel has a yield strength greater than 170 MPa.

17. The aluminum wheel of claim 11 , wherein the aluminum wheel has at least one of:

a yield strength greater than 200s MPa; and

an elongation to fracture greater than 3%.

18. The aluminum wheel of claim 11 , wherein the aluminum wheel has an elongation to fracture greater than 3%.

19. The aluminum wheel of claim 11 , wherein the aluminum wheel has:

an average secondary dendrite arm spacing (SDAS) of the spoke region in a range from 20 μm to 30 μm;

a yield strength greater than 170 MPa; and

an elongation to fracture greater than 3%.

20. The aluminum wheel of claim 11 , wherein the aluminum wheel is a low pressure die cast aluminum wheel.