Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
  • C22C—ALLOYS
  • C22C21/00—Alloys based on aluminium
  • C22C21/02—Alloys based on aluminium with silicon as the next major constituent
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
  • B23K1/00—Soldering, e.g. brazing, or unsoldering
  • B23K1/005—Soldering by means of radiant energy
  • B23K1/0056—Soldering by means of radiant energy soldering by means of beams, e.g. lasers, E.B.
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
  • B23K1/00—Soldering, e.g. brazing, or unsoldering
  • B23K1/19—Soldering, e.g. brazing, or unsoldering taking account of the properties of the materials to be soldered
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
  • B23K26/00—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring
  • B23K26/20—Bonding
  • B23K26/21—Bonding by welding
  • B23K26/24—Seam welding
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
  • B23K26/00—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring
  • B23K26/20—Bonding
  • B23K26/21—Bonding by welding
  • B23K26/24—Seam welding
  • B23K26/242—Fillet welding, i.e. involving a weld of substantially triangular cross section joining two parts
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
  • B23K26/00—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring
  • B23K26/20—Bonding
  • B23K26/32—Bonding taking account of the properties of the material involved
  • B23K26/323—Bonding taking account of the properties of the material involved involving parts made of dissimilar metallic material
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
  • B23K35/00—Rods, electrodes, materials, or media, for use in soldering, welding, or cutting
  • B23K35/001—Interlayers, transition pieces for metallurgical bonding of workpieces
  • B23K35/002—Interlayers, transition pieces for metallurgical bonding of workpieces at least one of the workpieces being of light metal
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
  • B23K35/00—Rods, electrodes, materials, or media, for use in soldering, welding, or cutting
  • B23K35/02—Rods, electrodes, materials, or media, for use in soldering, welding, or cutting characterised by mechanical features, e.g. shape
  • B23K35/0222—Rods, electrodes, materials, or media, for use in soldering, welding, or cutting characterised by mechanical features, e.g. shape for use in soldering, brazing
  • B23K35/0233—Sheets, foils
  • B23K35/0238—Sheets, foils layered
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
  • B23K35/00—Rods, electrodes, materials, or media, for use in soldering, welding, or cutting
  • B23K35/22—Rods, electrodes, materials, or media, for use in soldering, welding, or cutting characterised by the composition or nature of the material
  • B23K35/24—Selection of soldering or welding materials proper
  • B23K35/28—Selection of soldering or welding materials proper with the principal constituent melting at less than 950 degrees C
  • B23K35/286—Al as the principal constituent
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B15/00—Layered products comprising a layer of metal
  • B32B15/01—Layered products comprising a layer of metal all layers being exclusively metallic
  • B32B15/012—Layered products comprising a layer of metal all layers being exclusively metallic one layer being formed of an iron alloy or steel, another layer being formed of aluminium or an aluminium alloy
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B15/00—Layered products comprising a layer of metal
  • B32B15/01—Layered products comprising a layer of metal all layers being exclusively metallic
  • B32B15/016—Layered products comprising a layer of metal all layers being exclusively metallic all layers being formed of aluminium or aluminium alloys
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
  • C22C—ALLOYS
  • C22C21/00—Alloys based on aluminium
  • C22C21/02—Alloys based on aluminium with silicon as the next major constituent
  • C22C21/04—Modified aluminium-silicon alloys
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
  • C22C—ALLOYS
  • C22C21/00—Alloys based on aluminium
  • C22C21/06—Alloys based on aluminium with magnesium as the next major constituent
  • C22C21/08—Alloys based on aluminium with magnesium as the next major constituent with silicon
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
  • C22C—ALLOYS
  • C22C21/00—Alloys based on aluminium
  • C22C21/12—Alloys based on aluminium with copper as the next major constituent
  • C22C21/14—Alloys based on aluminium with copper as the next major constituent with silicon
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
  • C22C—ALLOYS
  • C22C21/00—Alloys based on aluminium
  • C22C21/12—Alloys based on aluminium with copper as the next major constituent
  • C22C21/16—Alloys based on aluminium with copper as the next major constituent with magnesium
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
  • C22F—CHANGING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF NON-FERROUS METALS AND NON-FERROUS ALLOYS
  • C22F1/00—Changing the physical structure of non-ferrous metals or alloys by heat treatment or by hot or cold working
  • C22F1/04—Changing the physical structure of non-ferrous metals or alloys by heat treatment or by hot or cold working of aluminium or alloys based thereon
  • C22F1/043—Changing the physical structure of non-ferrous metals or alloys by heat treatment or by hot or cold working of aluminium or alloys based thereon of alloys with silicon as the next major constituent
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
  • C22F—CHANGING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF NON-FERROUS METALS AND NON-FERROUS ALLOYS
  • C22F1/00—Changing the physical structure of non-ferrous metals or alloys by heat treatment or by hot or cold working
  • C22F1/04—Changing the physical structure of non-ferrous metals or alloys by heat treatment or by hot or cold working of aluminium or alloys based thereon
  • C22F1/047—Changing the physical structure of non-ferrous metals or alloys by heat treatment or by hot or cold working of aluminium or alloys based thereon of alloys with magnesium as the next major constituent
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
  • C22F—CHANGING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF NON-FERROUS METALS AND NON-FERROUS ALLOYS
  • C22F1/00—Changing the physical structure of non-ferrous metals or alloys by heat treatment or by hot or cold working
  • C22F1/04—Changing the physical structure of non-ferrous metals or alloys by heat treatment or by hot or cold working of aluminium or alloys based thereon
  • C22F1/057—Changing the physical structure of non-ferrous metals or alloys by heat treatment or by hot or cold working of aluminium or alloys based thereon of alloys with copper as the next major constituent
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
  • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
  • C23C2/00—Hot-dipping or immersion processes for applying the coating material in the molten state without affecting the shape; Apparatus therefor
  • C23C2/04—Hot-dipping or immersion processes for applying the coating material in the molten state without affecting the shape; Apparatus therefor characterised by the coating material
  • C23C2/06—Zinc or cadmium or alloys based thereon
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
  • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
  • C23C2/00—Hot-dipping or immersion processes for applying the coating material in the molten state without affecting the shape; Apparatus therefor
  • C23C2/34—Hot-dipping or immersion processes for applying the coating material in the molten state without affecting the shape; Apparatus therefor characterised by the shape of the material to be treated
  • C23C2/36—Elongated material
  • C23C2/40—Plates; Strips
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
  • B23K2101/00—Articles made by soldering, welding or cutting
  • B23K2101/006—Vehicles
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
  • B23K2101/00—Articles made by soldering, welding or cutting
  • B23K2101/18—Sheet panels
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
  • B23K2103/00—Materials to be soldered, welded or cut
  • B23K2103/18—Dissimilar materials
  • B23K2103/20—Ferrous alloys and aluminium or alloys thereof
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T428/00—Stock material or miscellaneous articles
  • Y10T428/12—All metal or with adjacent metals
  • Y10T428/12493—Composite; i.e., plural, adjacent, spatially distinct metal components [e.g., layers, joint, etc.]
  • Y10T428/12736—Al-base component
  • Y10T428/1275—Next to Group VIII or IB metal-base component
  • Y10T428/12757—Fe
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T428/00—Stock material or miscellaneous articles
  • Y10T428/12—All metal or with adjacent metals
  • Y10T428/12493—Composite; i.e., plural, adjacent, spatially distinct metal components [e.g., layers, joint, etc.]
  • Y10T428/12736—Al-base component
  • Y10T428/12764—Next to Al-base component

Definitions

• This invention concerns an aluminium alloy and sheet alloy product primarily intended for use in transportation vehicles.
• the aluminium alloy is based on the Al- Si-Cu system and is particularly suited for use as a sheet product useful in the manufacture of automobiles.
• the aluminium alloy is also suitable for use as a clad layer on a composite sheet.
• the invention also concerns a joined structure comprising a steel component and an aluminium component.
• aluminium alloys in the production of automobiles and other transportation vehicles has been established for many years. A range of different alloys are used depending on the particular requirements of specific components. In certain applications it is desirable that the material be of high strength. Yet other applications require higher formability and, in such cases, strength may be considered less important. There has also been a desire for materials that deform easily under impact, for example in the event of collision with pedestrians and such materials may have even lower strengths. Aluminium alloy products for such applications are provided in various forms, from sheet to forgings, extrusions to castings.
• the aluminium alloys are from the 6XXX series of alloys, whose principal alloying elements are Mg and Si, or from the 5XXX series of alloys, where the principal alloying element is Mg. There has been occasional use of the 2XXX series alloys where the principal alloying element is Cu. For an understanding of the number designation system most commonly used in naming and identifying aluminium and its alloys see “International Alloy Designations and Chemical Composition Limits for Wrought Aluminum and Wrought Aluminum Alloys", published by The Aluminum Association, revised February 2009.
• Clad sheets or composite sheets are also known for use in automotive and other applications.
• the composite sheet consists of at least two layers of alloys with different chemical compositions.
• One layer typically called the core
• the second layer typically called the clad layer
• the clad layer is usually thinner than the core layer.
• the core layer of one composition is interposed between two clad layers of another composition to form a three-layer sheet, both clad layers having the same composition. But this is not always the case and a composite sheet may be provided of multiple layers, each layer having a different composition.
• Aluminium alloys are not the only materials used in construction of transportation vehicles; steel remains an important structural material. Whilst concerned primarily with automotive structures, the invention described herein is equally applicable to other transportation vehicles including but not limited to aircraft and land vehicles such as trains, buses and trucks as well as other industrial applications where there is a need to join aluminium components to steel components. The case of automotive structures is used to illustrate the background to the invention and to demonstrate its benefits.
• the aluminium alloy must come into contact and be joined to a steel alloy product.
• conventionally defined welding in the sense of coalescence of two molten metals, does not occur because the temperatures used are generally not high enough to cause the steel to melt.
• Various terms are used, therefore, to describe the thermal joining process that takes place and such terms may include but are not limited to laser welding, braze welding and so on.
• a structure that comprises an aluminium part joined to a steel part means one that arises from a thermal process that causes at least a part of the aluminium component to melt.
• the binary Al-Fe equilibrium phase diagram indicates that various equilibrium intermetallic compounds such as Fe2AI 5 , FeAI 3 , FeAI 2 and FeAI exist. These intermetallic compounds are known to be hard and brittle. In addition, the high heat input of conventional welding techniques and the resulting reaction and diffusion between the steel and aluminium parts can give rise to a thick layer of brittle intermetallics. The presence of such intermetallics at steel / aluminium interfaces may lead to poor mechanical properties and brittle fracture behavior of the joint. The joint between the aluminium and steel alloys can thus become a site of key structural weakness. A joint that has reasonable fracture strength, one that possesses sufficient ductility, is preferable. Attempts have been made to improve the interracial strength and ductility of such joints.
• CMT Cold Metal Transfer braze-welding
• a second approach to improve weldability has been to add Zn to the weld to promote formation of an Al-Zn, low melting point, eutectic structure.
• a Zn filler material is used without flux during the welding operation in an air atmosphere or a Zn cladding is used on the steel component.
• a low heat input may also be used in combination.
• Zn reduces the corrosion resistance of the joint region because it has a highly negative corrosion potential.
• JP04768487B2 describes a method for obtaining a composite structure of aluminium and steel for motor vehicles which involves melting an aluminium layer of AA5182 alloy on a steel plate using a laser beam without flux.
• US-A-4, 814,022 describes a weldabie aluminum alloy comprising Si and Mg defined by a trapezium having co-ordinates at; Si 0.5, Mg 0.1 ; Si 0.5 Mg 0.2; Si 1.3, Mg 0.5; Si1.3, Mg 0.1 .
• the alloy further contains Cu between 0.1 and 0.5.
• the composition is controlled to limit precipitation of Mg 2 Si during solidification after casting and the Mg 2 Si precipitates developed in the alloy, and necessary for strengthening, arise from subsequent heat treatments.
• the examples describe the alloy being welded to itself, not to a steel component.
• US-A-4, 808,247 describes a process of making Al-Si-Cu-Mg alloys that involves the application of a final annealing step wherein the alloys described are heated to between 60-360°C, held at that temperature for a period, and cooled in a controlled manner. Three alloys are described, all of which contain Mg to promote the formation of Mg 2 Si strengthening precipitates.
• US-A-5,582,660 describes an alloy for use in automotive sheet comprising the following composition; Si >1.0 to about 1.3, Mg >0.25 to about 0.60, Cu about 0.5 to about 1.8, Mn about 0.01 to about 0.1 , Fe about 0.01 to about 0.2, balance being substantially aluminium and incidental elements and impurities. The presence of Mg in combination with Si is essential for the formation of Mg 2 Si strengthening precipitates.
• WO 98/14626 describes an aluminium alloy for rolled products with the following composition in wt% of: Si 0.8 - 1.5; Mg 0.2 - 0.7; Fe 0.2 - 0.7; Mn 0.01 - 0.1 ; Cu up to 0.25; Cr up to 0.1 ; Zn up to 0.4; V up to 0.2m balance being Al. Silicon and Magnesium are added for the formation of strengthening Mg2Si precipitates. Fe is employed to form a sufficient volume fraction of Al-Fe phases that can act as recrystallization nucleation sites after being broken up and dispersed during rolling.
• US-B2-7,943,883 describes a method for joining an iron member and an aluminium member, where the iron member includes a plated layer at least on the joining side and the aluminium layer is formed by an aluminium core and an aluminium cladding with a melting point lower than that of the aluminium core material, provided on the joining side of the with the iron member.
• the alloy of the aluminium cladding layer is either an Al - Si alloy with 4.0 - 11.6 wt% Si, balance Al or an Al - Cu alloy with 5.7 - 33.2 wt % Cu, balance Al.
• an aluminium alloy which can be welded to a steel alloy without the use of a filler alloy and which provides an interface possessing a reasonable strength and a ductile fracture mechanism, a useful way to enrich the range of available compromises between strength and ductility.
• an aluminium alloy comprising the following composition, all values in weight %:
• the balance being aluminium.
• the amount of Mn is incidental, that is, not more than 0.05 wt%. In practice an amount of 0.08 wt% for Mn is contemplated, but this for expedience, and commercial practicality, rather than to enhance performance in meeting technical targets.
• the inventors have adapted the aluminium alloy composition to improve the wettability of the aluminium alloy, to reduce the susceptibility of the alloy to hot cracking shortness, to modify the diffusion of Fe from the steel into the aluminium alloy product and to bias the type of intermetallic formed close to the steel to favour the FeAI type over the FeA -type.
• the interface is characterized by a dense intermetallic layer comprising two intermetallic types, FeAI and Fe 2 AI 5 , with FeAI in the zone adjacent the steel alloy.
• the interface region created with the alloy of the invention is relatively large, comprising 3 distinct zones. This thicker interface zone permits the use of wider processing parameters, giving greater process flexibility and thereby rendering the new alloy suitable for large scale industrial production.
• Si is added to the alloy to reduce the solidus temperature and to improve the wettability.
• the lower limit of Si is set at 0.25.
• additions of Si help reduce the susceptibility of hot cracks forming after welding and a preferred lower limit for Si is 0.5.
• the upper limit of Si is set to 1 .5 because a higher Si level favours the formation of AI(Fe3,St)-type intermetallics and has a negative effect on ductility and the preferred upper limit of Si is 1 .25.
• Cu is also added to the alloy to reduce the solidus temperature and to improve the wettability but it is also added to modify the Al-Fe intermetallic type. For these reasons the lower limit of the Cu content is set at 0.3.
• the amount of Cu should not be too high, however, because a higher Cu content increases the risk of hot cracking. Further, higher Cu contents also reduce the joint ductility. For these reasons the upper limit of Cu is set at 1 .5 although in some situations setting an upper limit for Cu of 1.25 may be desirable.
• Mg in combination with Si would lead to the formation of strengthening Mg 2 Si precipitates, that is not helpful here because Mg does not contribute to the improvement of the joint quality.
• Mg content is increased there are declines in the ductility of the joint, in the formability of the alloy and in the quality of the weld, porosity and cracking.
• a small amount of Mg may be tolerated, (to accommodate scrap recycling), but the Mg content should not exceed that of an individual impurity element.
• Mn also makes no significant impact on the hot cracking susceptibility or formability but it may be present in recycled metal from other sources. Here it can be tolerated in amounts higher than would be the case for other elements without serious adverse effect. Thus, for commercial reasons (more recycling) an amount higher than that permitted for other incidental impurity elements is permitted in the case of Mn
• Other elements such as, but not limited to, Zn, Ni, Ti, B, Cr and V may be present in the form of trace elements or unavoidable impurities or, in the case of Ti and B, through the addition of grain refiners.
• Each such trace element or unavoidable impurity or grain refining element is present in an amount less than 0.05 each and less than 0.15 in total.
• the balance of the alloy is aluminium.
• a composite aluminium sheet comprising a core and at least one clad layer wherein the clad layer comprises the following composition, all values in weight %:
• Mn up to 0.1 all other elements including Mg being incidental and present (if at a!l) then in an amount less than or equal to 0.05 each or less than or equal to 0.15 in aggregate
• the balance being aluminium.
• the amount of Mn is incidental, that is, not more than 0.05 wt%. In practice an amount of 0.08 wt% for Mn is contemplated, but this for expedience, and commercial practicality, rather than to enhance performance in meeting technical targets.
• composite sheets In the context of composite sheets, the term "core” layer is used to indicate the alloy contributing most to the bulk properties of the composite sheet and the term “clad” is used to indicate the alloy at the surface providing surface properties for the composite sheet.
• Composite sheets may comprise a single clad layer on a single core layer although more often they comprise two clad layers on either side of the single core layer. Typically the clad layers are thinner than the core layer, on their own and as a combined total.
• the core layer may be a 6 XXX series alloy or a 5XXX series alloy as understood by reference to the Aluminum Association Teal Sheets. If the core layer is a 6 XXX series alloy it may be selected from the group consisting of AA6016, AA6016A, AA6014, AA601 , AA61 1 1 , AA6009, AA6010, AA6022 and AA6451.
• the core alloy is a 5XXX series alloy it may be selected from the group consisting of AA5005, AA5152, AA5052, AA5018, AA5454, AA5754, AA5056, AA 5456, AA5182, AA5186, AA5059, AA5083 and AA5383.
• An advantage of using the new alloy in a composite sheet, wherein the core is a high strength alloy, is that the entire sheet is far less susceptible to distortion during further processing of the vehicle body such as, for example, during the thermal treatment of paint baking.
• a joined structure comprising a steel component and an aluminium alloy component joined thereto and wherein the aluminium alloy component is made from an aluminium alloy comprising the following composition, all values in weight %:
• the balance being aluminium.
• the amount of Mn is incidental, that is, not more than 0.05 wt%. In practice an amount of 0.08 wt% for Mn is contemplated, but this for expedience, and commercial practicality, rather than to enhance performance in meeting technical targets.
• a joined structure comprising a steel component and an aluminium alloy component joined thereto and wherein the aluminium alloy component is made from a composite aluminium alloy sheet comprising a core and at least one clad layer wherein the clad layer comprises the following composition, all values in weight %:
• the balance being aluminium.
• the amount of Mn is incidental, that is, not more than 0.05 wt%. In practice an amount of 0.08 wt% for Mn is contemplated, but this for expedience, and commercial practicality, rather than to enhance performance in meeting technical targets.
• the word ' joined is intended to mean a joint resulting from a thermal process operating at a temperature that causes melting of at least a part of the inventive alloy component.
• the thermal process used does not lead to melting of the steel component. Therefore "welding”, in the classic sense of coalescence of two or more molten metals, does not occur. Since the use of a flux is not necessary, (although it could be used), the process is not classical brazing although one can describe the process as fluxless brazing. Others have used the term "braze-welding".
• the alloy of the aluminium component melts and reacts with the surface layers of the steel component, including the zinc coating, if such a coating is present.
• the temperature is sufficiently high that diffusion of Fe from the steel component into the molten aluminium occurs and, when the molten aluminium cools and freezes, a series of layers rich in intermetallic compounds is formed with the Al/Fe ratio increasing as the distance from the steel component increases.
• a Zn coating on the steel component improves the wettability of the aluminium alloy of the invention and it is preferred that the steel component be provided with such a Zn layer.
• a method of making a joined structure wherein the joined structure comprises a steel component and an aluminium alloy component and wherein the steel and aluminium alloy components are joined by a thermal process that causes at least a part of the aluminium component to melt and wherein the aluminium alloy component is made from an alloy that has the following composition:
• the balance being aluminium.
• the amount of Mn is incidental, that is, not more than 0.05 wt%. In practice an amount of 0.08 wt% for Mn is contemplated, but this for expedience, and commercial practicality, rather than to enhance performance in meeting technical targets.
• the thermal joining of a steel component with said aluminium alloy yields improved hot crack-resistance, ductility and strength of the joint.
• the bias towards particles of FeAI over other species of Fe/AI intermetallics helps to render the interface less brittle and more ductile without any unacceptable loss of strength.
• the aluminium alloy according to the invention is intended for primary use in sheet form but the scope of the invention is not limited to that form.
• the skilled person will understand that the alloy of the invention can be provided in other product forms, such as extrusions, and can still be welded to steel components.
• the primary focus is on automotive structures, the skilled reader will realize that the alloy of the invention, and its use in joined structures incorporating steel, can be applicable to many different applications in the transportation sector, (marine, rail, aerospace), as well as many other industrial applications, (construction, plant machinery, etc.).
• Fig. 1 is a plot of a stress-displacement curve for an alloy according to the invention.
• Fig. 2 is a plot of the effect of Cu on the equilibrium solidus and liquidus temperature.
• Fig. 3 is a plot of the effect of Cu on calculated hot-cracking susceptibility.
• Fig. 4 is a plot of the effect of Cu on joint ductility.
• Fig. 5 is a plot of the effect of Cu on joint strength.
• Fig. 6 is a plot of the effect of Si on the equilibrium solidus and liquidus temperature
• Fig. 7 is a plot of the effect of Si on joint ductility.
• Fig. 8 is a plot of the effect of Si on joint strength.
• Fig. 9 is a plot of the effect of Mg on bending and elongation.
• Fig. 10 is a plot of the effect of Mg on weld quality.
• Fig. 1 is a plot of the effect of Mg on joint ductility.
• Fig. 12 shows two images of the interface produced when an AlSilO alloy is welded to steel sheet including phase analysis
• Fig. 13 shows two images of the interface produced when an alloy according to the invention is welded to steel sheet including phase analysis
• Fig. 14 is a plot of the stress-displacement curves for two composite sheets after joining to steel, one according to the invention and another according to the prior art,
• Table 1 lists the compositions of alloys cast in the form of small ingots, each ingot measuring 20x150x200mm.
• Sheet samples were then joined by a fluxless laser welding process to a 1 mm sheet of low-alloyed steel coated with a 7pm zinc layer (hot dip galvanized) using an Nd-YAG laser with a constant power of 3kW.
• the joining geometry was flange welding (Kehlnaht) with a laser angle of 60° and no gap between the two sheets.
• the laser speed was 4m/min for all alloy combinations.
• compositional effect of the different elements on the equilibrium solidus and liquidus temperatures was calculated using commercial thermodynamic software from JMatPro coupled to in-house database.
• the hot cracking susceptibility was also calculated on the basis of thermodynamics calculation of the solid fraction evolution through the solidification interval. In both cases, nominal alloy compositions were used.
• DPI dye penetrant inspection
• the joined samples were also subjected to lap shear tensile testing to assess joint fracture strength and ductility. It is not appropriate to use conventional stress- strain curves in such figures because the test configuration means that the tensile stress, and thus plastic deformation, is not constant throughout the specimen.
• the results of tensile tests on lap shear joints are presented as equivalent stress in the aluminium section against grip-to-grip distance during the test, (described herein as standard travel).
• the equivalent stress within the aluminium part of the joined sample is the nominal force divided by the cross-sectional area of the aluminium section.
• the standard travel is an indication of the ductility of the joint.
• the sheet thus tested is deformed into a V shape and the internal angle of the V is measured. In this test a lower angle translates into better formability of the sheet.
• This test (hereinafter referred to as "the modified DIN 5011 1 test"), is preferable to other formability tests because the results do not depend so much, if at all, on operator judgement.
• Samples 1-3 illustrate the effect of Cu on the performance of the alloys.
• Samples 2 with 5-7 illustrate the effect of Si on performance.
• Samples 2 with 8-10 illustrate the effect of Mg on performance.
• Figure 1 shows the stress-displacement curve for sample 2 after joining.
• the standard travel of the test piece, proportional to elongation is very high, indicating a ductile fracture mode which was also apparent in the fracture surface.
• Figure 2 shows the effect of increasing Cu content to a base composition of AI0.5Si on the solidus of the alloys. Adding Cu reduces the solidus temperature and improves wettability.
• Figure 3 shows the effect of Cu on hot- cracking susceptibility with hot-cracking more likely as the Cu content increases up to 1 .5%.
• Figure 4 shows the effect of Cu on joint ductility.
• Figure 5 shows the effect of Cu on the joint fracture strength. Increasing Cu from 0.5 to 1.0% increases fracture strength but it falls again slightly if the Cu content is increased towards 1 .5%. From Figures 3, 4 and 5 we can see that the Cu content should be not be >1 .5% and is preferably up to 1 .25%.
• Figure 6 shows the effect of increasing Si content to a base composition of Ah .OCu on the solidus of the alloys. Adding Si reduces the solidus temperature and improves wettability.
• Figure 7 shows the effect of Si on joint ductility. Increasing Si content up to 1 .0% improves bond ductility but there is a rapid decline in bond ductility as the Si content increases to 1 .5% and beyond.
• Figure 8 shows that increasing the Si content leads to an increase in joint fracture strength up to a 1 % addition but the fracture strength declines as more Si is added. From Figures 7 and 8, we can see that Si should be limited to no more than 1 .5% and preferably no more than 1 .25% to maintain good joint qualities in terms of ductility and fracture strength.
• Figure 9 shows the effect of Mg content on bendability as measured using the modified DIN 501 1 1 test. The effect on elongation is minimal. As the Mg content increases, the bendability of samples prestrained by 10% diminishes towards an Mg content of 0.5 but then improves again as the Mg content is raised further to 2%.
• Figure 10 shows the effect of Mg content on visual weld quality after DPI. Additions of Mg from essentially no Mg to 0.5Mg led to worse weld quality, (coarse porosity and the presence of weld cracks), but the weld quality improved again when 2% Mg was added. The effect of Mg on weld ductility is shown in Figure 1 1 and increased Mg content lowers weld ductility. For these reasons the Mg content is limited to the amount of an incidental element or impurity.
• Figures 12, a) and b) show SEM images of the interface seen with AISMO alloys (sample 0) joined to steel.
• the width of the interface is approximately 10pm and the region immediately next to the steel alloy comprises an intermetallic zone dominated by FeAI 3 (high Al/Fe ratio, in atomic%).
• the brittle structure is evidenced by the high amount of micro-cracks in the layer.
• Figures 13, a) and b) show SEM images and EDX spectra of the interface produced when sample 2 was joined to steel.
• the width of the interface is approximately 20pm and the image reveals a dense and crack-free intermetaliic layer.
• the continuous intermetallic layer at the interface is composed of two phases with various Al/Fe ratios.
• a third region on the top of the layer, with intermetallics in the shape of needles and a higher Al/Fe ratio is present.
• the first two intermetallic types are close to the FeAI and Fe 2 AI 5 stoichiometry, whereas the third type is close to the more brittle FeAI 3 .
• There are fundamental differences between the interfaces including the presence of an FeAI- type layer adjacent the steel component when the steel component is joined to the inventive alloy.
• the ingots were homogenized in an air furnace at 550°C for 6hours, hot rolled to 10mm and cold rolled to 1 mm.
• the sheet samples were solution heat treated at 540°C for 40s, rapidly cooled by air fans and then pre-aged by holding samples at 100°C for 1 hr.

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