Aluminum alloy for impact extruded containers and method of making the same

1. A slug used for a backward impact extrusion process to form a metallic container which is configured to receive an end closure, the slug formed from an aluminum alloy comprising between 40 wt. % and 90 wt. % of a first aluminum and between 10 wt. % and 60 wt. % of a second aluminum, wherein neither the first aluminum nor the second aluminum are recycled, and wherein the composition of the aluminum alloy slug comprises:

at least 97.56 wt. % Al;

between about 0.07 wt. % Si and about 0.18 wt. % Si;

between about 0.22 wt. % Fe and about 0.44 wt. % Fe;

between 0.015 wt. % Cu and about 0.2 wt. % Cu;

between about 0.22 wt. % Mn and about 0.65 wt. % Mn;

between about 0.06 wt. % Mg and about 0.20 wt. % Mg;

between about 0.02 wt. % Ti and about 0.05 wt. % Ti; and

a balance comprising at least one of Zn, Cr and impurities; and

wherein a thickness of the slug is between 3.81 millimeters (mm) and 14.0 mm, and a diameter or width of the slug is between 20.3 mm and 88.9 mm.

2. The slug of claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy further comprises:

between 0.03 wt. % Cu and 0.18 wt. % Cu;

at most 0.17 wt. % Mg;

between about 0.02 wt. % Zn and about 0.04 wt. % Zn; and

between about 0.02 wt. % Cr and about 0.04 wt. % Cr.

3. The slug of claim 1 , further comprising a titanium boride added to a melt of the first aluminum and the second aluminum to alter a grain structure of the aluminum alloy.

4. The slug of claim 1 , wherein a hardness of the slug is between 52.4 HB and 68.8 HB.

5. The slug of claim 1 , wherein a hardness of the slug is between 50 HB and 66 HB.

6. The slug of claim 1 , wherein a yield strength of a sample of the slug with a thickness of 5.5 mm is between 20.7 MPa and 55.2 MPa.

7. The slug of claim 1 , wherein a tensile strength of a sample of the slug with a thickness of 5.5 mm is between 96.5 MPa and 144.8 MPa, and wherein an elongation percent of a sample of the slug with a thickness of 5.5 mm is between 30% and 42%.

8. A method to produce a slug formed from an aluminum alloy, the slug configured for use in a backward impact extrusion process to form a metallic container which is configured to receive an end closure, comprising:

combining between 40 wt. % and 90 wt. % of a first aluminum alloy and between 10 wt. % and 60 wt. % of a second aluminum alloy to form the aluminum alloy, wherein neither the first aluminum alloy nor the second aluminum alloy are recycled, and wherein the composition of the aluminum alloy comprises:

at least 97.56 wt. % Al;

between about 0.07 wt. % Si and about 0.18 wt. % Si;

between about 0.22 wt. % Fe and about 0.44 wt. % Fe;

between 0.015 wt. % Cu and about 0.2 wt. % Cu;

between about 0.22 wt. % Mn and about 0.65 wt. % Mn;

between about 0.06 wt. % Mg and about 0.20 wt. % Mg;

between about 0.02 wt. % Ti and about 0.05 wt. % Ti; and

a balance comprising at least one of Zn, Cr and impurities; and

forming the slug from the aluminum alloy, wherein a thickness of the slug is between 3.81 millimeters (mm) and 14.0 mm, and a diameter or width of the slug is between 20.3 mm and 88.9 mm.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

melting the first aluminum alloy and the second aluminum alloy to form a melt; and

adding titanium boride to the melt to alter a grain structure of the aluminum alloy, wherein the first aluminum alloy is selected from a first group consisting of AA1059, AA1070 or P1020A, and wherein the second aluminum alloy is selected from a second group consisting of AA3104, AA3004, AA3105, AA3003 or AA3103.

10. A method for producing a metallic container which is configured to receive an end closure in a backward impact extrusion process from a slug formed from an aluminum alloy, comprising:

providing the slug formed of the aluminum alloy, wherein the aluminum alloy is formed by combining between 40 wt. % and 90 wt. % of a first aluminum alloy and between 10 wt. % and 60 wt. % of a second aluminum alloy, wherein neither the first aluminum alloy nor the second aluminum alloy are recycled, and wherein the composition of the aluminum alloy comprises:

at least 97.56 wt. % Al;

between about 0.07 wt. % Si and about 0.18 wt. % Si;

between about 0.22 wt. % Fe and about 0.44 wt. % Fe;

between 0.015 wt. % Cu and about 0.2 wt. % Cu;

between about 0.22 wt. % Mn and about 0.65 wt. % Mn;

between about 0.06 wt. % Mg and about 0.20 wt. % Mg;

between about 0.02 wt. % Ti and about 0.05 wt. % Ti; and

a balance comprising at least one of Zn, Cr and impurities; and

wherein a thickness of the slug is between 3.81 millimeters (mm) and 14.0 mm, and a diameter or width of the slug is between 20.3 mm and 88.9 mm.

11. The slug of claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy comprises between about 0.02 wt. % Zn and about 0.04 wt. % Zn.

12. The slug of claim 11 , wherein the aluminum alloy comprises between about 0.02 wt. % Cr and about 0.04 wt. % Cr.

13. The slug of claim 12 , wherein the aluminum alloy comprises at least about 0.03 wt. % Cu.

14. The slug of claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy comprises at least about 0.03 wt. % Cu.

15. The slug of claim 1 , wherein the slug includes recesses on at least one surface to hold a lubricant.

16. The slug of claim 15 , wherein the slug is coated with a lubricant.

17. The slug of claim 1 , wherein the first aluminum is selected from a first group consisting of AA1050, AA1070 or P1020A.

18. The slug of claim 17 , wherein the second aluminum is selected from a second group consisting of AA3104, AA3004, AA3105, AA3003 or AA3103.

19. The slug of claim 1 , wherein the slug has a mass of between about 21.1 g and about 23.3 g.