Classifications

• • 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
  • C22F1/053—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 zinc as the next major constituent
• • 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
  • C22C21/10—Alloys based on aluminium with zinc as the next major constituent

Definitions

• a new 7xxx aluminum alloy includes at least 0.09 wt. % Ag. In yet another embodiment, a new 7xxx aluminum alloy includes at least 0.10 wt. % Ag. In another embodiment, a new 7xxx aluminum alloy includes at least 0.15 wt. % Ag. In yet another embodiment, a new 7xxx aluminum alloy includes at least 0.20 wt. % Ag. In another embodiment, a new 7xxx aluminum alloy includes at least 0.225 wt. % Ag. In yet another embodiment, a new 7xxx aluminum alloy includes at least 0.25 wt. % Ag. In one embodiment, a new 7xxx aluminum alloy includes not greater than 0.7 wt. % Ag.
• a new 7xxx aluminum alloy includes not greater than 0.5 wt. % Ag. In yet another embodiment, a new 7xxx aluminum alloy includes not greater than 0.4 wt. % Ag. In another embodiment, a new 7xxx aluminum alloy includes not greater than 0.35 wt. % Ag. In yet another embodiment, a new 7xxx aluminum alloy includes not greater than 0.325 wt. % Ag. In another embodiment, a new 7xxx aluminum alloy includes not greater than 0.30 wt. % Ag.
• the combined amount of copper and magnesium in a new 7xxx aluminum alloy is at least 3.75 wt. % (i.e., (wt. % Cu) + (wt. % Mg) > 3.75 wt. %). In yet another embodiment, the combined amount of copper and magnesium in a new 7xxx aluminum alloy is at least 4.0 wt. % (i.e., (wt. % Cu) + (wt. % Mg) > 4.0 wt. %).
• the new 7xxx aluminum alloys may include one or more of Zr, Cr, V, Hf, other rare earth elements, and combinations thereof as grain structure control materials (e.g., from 0.05-0.25 wt. % each of one or more of Zr, Cr, V, Hf, and other rare earth elements), limiting the total amounts of these elements such that large primary particles do not form in the alloy.
• Grain structure control materials may, for instance, facilitate an appropriate grain structure (e.g., an unrecry stallized grain structure).
• grain structure control materials include Zr, Cr, V, Hf, and other rare earth elements, to name a few, but excludes Mn and Sc.
• % Cr is not greater than 0.20 wt. % (i.e., wt. % Zr + wt. % Cr ⁇ 0.20 wt. %).
• a new 7xxx aluminum alloy product may include at least 0.09 wt. % of at least one of Zr and Cr.
• a new 7xxx aluminum alloy product may include at least 0.09 wt. % of both Zr and Cr.
• a new 7xxx aluminum alloy includes not greater than 0.05 wt. % Li. Lithium handling is difficult and lithium may negatively impact the properties of the 7xxx aluminum alloys. In one embodiment, a new 7xxx aluminum alloy includes not greater than 0.03 wt. % Li. In another embodiment, a new 7xxx aluminum alloy includes not greater than 0.01 wt. % Li. In yet another embodiment, a new 7xxx aluminum alloy includes not greater than 0.005 wt. % Li, or less.
• the new alloy can be prepared into wrought form, and in the appropriate temper, by more or less conventional practices, including direct chill (DC) casting the aluminum alloy into ingot form.
• DC direct chill
• these ingots may be further processed by hot working the product.
• the product may then be optionally cold worked and/or optionally annealed. After any cold work and any anneal (which may occur multiple times and in any order), the product may then be solution heat treated, quenched, such as in a gas (e.g.
• a new 7xxx aluminum alloy product has a thickness of at least 38 mm and realizes a typical tensile yield strength (ST) of at least 430 MPa in a T7 temper.
• a new 7xxx aluminum alloy product has a thickness of at least 38 mm and realizes a typical tensile yield strength (ST) of at least 440 MPa, or more, in a T7 temper.
• the above strength properties may be realized in products having a thickness of at least 60 mm, or at least 80 mm, or at least 100 mm, at least 120 mm, or at least 140 mm, or higher.
• an alloy passes HHSCC-G49 testing at 90°C when all specimens survive at least 10 days.
• a failure is when the specimen breaks into two halves, either along the gauge length or at one of the specimen shoulders adjoining the gauge length. Shoulder failures are statistically equivalent to gauge length failures. Thread failures are only included when they are statistically equivalent to the gauge length failures when determining whether an alloy passes HHSCC-G49.
• a thread failure is when a crack occurs in a threaded end of a specimen as opposed to in the gauge length. In some instance, thread failures may not be detectable until the specimen is removed from the stressing frame.
• “Hot working” means working the aluminum alloy product at elevated temperature, generally at least 250°F.
• the ingots were homogenized, scalped, and then hot rolled into plate.
• the plates had a final gauge of about 1.125 inches (28.575 mm).
• the plates were then flattened and then solution heat treated and then quenched in 195°F water.
• the 195°F water quench simulates quench conditions for thick plates (e.g., plates having a final gauge thickness of about 8-12 inches).
• the plates were stretched and then artificially aged to a T7 temper. Mechanical properties of the plates were then evaluated. Strength and elongation properties were measured in accordance with ASTM B557 and E8. Fracture toughness properties were measured in accordance with ASTM E399. The results are provided in Tables 2-3, below.
• the new invention alloy realizes improved strength, elongation, and fracture toughness as compared to the conventional alloys.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
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• Crystallography & Structural Chemistry (AREA)
• Cell Electrode Carriers And Collectors (AREA)
• Powder Metallurgy (AREA)
• Continuous Casting (AREA)
• Analysing Materials By The Use Of Radiation (AREA)

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• 2019
  • 2019-11-13 CN CN201980074250.0A patent/CN113015816A/zh active Pending
  • 2019-11-13 EP EP19885961.3A patent/EP3880857A4/de active Pending
  • 2019-11-13 WO PCT/US2019/061305 patent/WO2020102441A2/en unknown
  • 2019-11-13 BR BR112021008744-3A patent/BR112021008744A2/pt unknown
  • 2019-11-13 CA CA3118152A patent/CA3118152A1/en active Pending
• 2021
  • 2021-05-05 US US17/308,794 patent/US20210340656A1/en active Pending

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