Claims
- 1. A method for fabricating an aluminum alloy composition comprising:
selecting an aluminum alloy composition from
a composition comprising
about 7.14% by wt. of zinc, about 2.30% by wt. of magnesium, about 1.61% by wt. of copper, about 0.27% by wt. of manganese, about 0.17% by wt. of zirconium, about 0.12% by wt. of iron, about 0.09% by wt. of silicon, and aluminum a composition comprising
about 7.17% by wt. of zinc, about 2.2% by wt. of magnesium, about 1.58% by wt. of copper, about 0.30 by wt. of manganese, about 0.18% by wt. of zirconium, about 0.18% by wt. of scandium, about 0.13% by wt. of iron, about 0.088% by wt. of silicon, and aluminum a composition comprising
about 7.11% by wt. of zinc, about 2.14% by wt., about 1.56% by wt. of copper, about 0.25% by wt. of manganese, about 0.17% by wt. of zirconium, about 0.38% by wt. of scandium, about 0.094% by wt. of iron, about 0.088% by wt. of silicon, and aluminum a composition comprising
about 7.05% by wt. of zinc, about 2.35% by wt. of magnesium, about 1.55% by wt. of copper, about 0.27% by wt. of manganese, about 0.14% by wt. of zirconium, about 0.49% by wt. of scandium, about 0.095% by wt. of iron, about 0.082% by wt. of silicon, and aluminum, a composition comprising
about 10.3 by wt. % of zinc, about 2.7 by wt. % of magnesium, about 1.3 by wt. % of copper, about 0.38 by wt. % of manganese, about 0.15 by wt. % of zirconium, about 0.49 by wt. % of scandium, and aluminum a composition comprising
about 12.0 by wt. % of zinc, about 3.3 by wt. % of manganese, about 1.2 by wt. % of copper, about 0.38 by wt. % of manganese, about 0.13 by wt. % of zirconium, about 0.49 by wt. % of scandium, aluminum, a composition comprising
about 9.0% by wt. zinc, about 3.0% by wt. magnesium, about 2.6% by wt. copper, about 0.1% by wt. chromium, about 0.2% by wt. cerium, about 0.20% by wt. nickel, about 0.1% by wt. vanadium, about 0.2% by wt. zirconium, about 0.2% by wt. scandium, about 0.12% by wt. iron, about 0.09% by wt. silicon, and aluminum, a composition comprising
about 8.9% by wt. zinc, about 2.7% by wt. magnesium, about 2.4% by wt. copper, about 0.2% by wt. manganese, about 0.1% by wt. hafnium, about 0.1% by wt. zirconium, about 0.46% by wt. scandium, about 0.05% by wt. chromium, about 0.16% by wt. iron, about 0.07% by wt. silicon, less than 0.05% by wt. nickel, less than 0.05% by wt. titanium, less than 0.05% by wt. vanadium, and aluminum, a composition comprising
about 8.5% by wt. zinc, about 2.6% by wt. magnesium, about 2.2% by wt. copper, about 0.2% by wt. manganese, about 0.1% by wt. silver, about 0.1% by wt. zirconium, about 0.4% by wt. scandium, about 0.15% by wt. iron, about 0.10% by wt. silicon, and aluminum; annealing said aluminum alloy at a temperature between about 430° C. to about 515° C.; and aging said aluminum alloy at a temperature between about 110° C. to about 160° C.
- 2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said method further includes an additional annealing of said aluminum alloy composition.
- 3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said additional annealing occurs at a temperature between about 250° C. and about 370° C.
- 4. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said additional annealing occurs prior to said annealing step.
- 5. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said additional annealing occurs for an amount of time between about 0.5 hours and about 6 hours.
- 6. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said additional annealing is characterized by an annealing temperature and duration sufficient to precipitate particles from said aluminum alloy composition that would prevent grain growth during annealing.
- 7. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said additional annealing is characterized by an annealing temperature and duration sufficient to cause scandium, hafnium, and zirconium to precipitate from coherent Al3 (Sc, Hf, Zr) particles.
- 8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said additional annealing occurs at a temperature between about 250° C. and about 370° C.
- 9. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said aimealing occurs at a temperature between about 460° C. and about 480° C.
- 10. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said aluminum alloy composition is provided, annealed, and aged so as to produce an aluminum alloy composition having a tensile strength of at least 650 MPa at an elongation of at least 7% at room temperature.
- 11. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said aluminum alloy composition is provided, annealed, and aged so as to produce an aluminum alloy composition having a tensile strength of at least 790 MPa at an elongation of at least 6% at a cryogenic temperature.
- 12. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said cryogenic temperature is about the temperature of liquid nitrogen.
- 13. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said cryogenic temperature is about −196° C.
- 14. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said aluminum alloy composition is provided, annealed, and aged so as to produce an aluminum alloy composition having a tensile strength of at least 900 MPa at room temperature.
- 15. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said aluminum alloy composition is provided, annealed, and aged so as to produce an aluminum alloy composition having a tensile strength of at least 900 MPa at a cryogenic temperature.
- 16. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein said cryogenic temperature is about the temperature of liquid nitrogen.
- 17. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein said cryogenic temperature is about −196° C.
- 18. A method of making an aluminum alloy composition comprising:
providing an aluminum alloy composition; annealing said aluminum alloy composition at a first annealing temperature; annealing said aluminum alloy composition at a second annealing temperature different than said first annealing temperature; and aging said aluminum alloy composition.
- 19. A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein said aluminum alloy composition is selected from
a composition comprising
about 7.14% by wt. of zinc, about 2.30% by wt. of magnesium, about 1.61% by wt. of copper, about 0.27% by wt. of manganese, about 0.17% by wt. of zirconium, about 0.12% by wt. of iron, about 0.09% by wt. of silicon, and aluminum a composition comprising
about 7.17% by wt. of zinc, about 2.2% by wt. of magnesium, about 1.58% by wt. of copper, about 0.30 by wt. of manganese, about 0.18% by wt. of zirconium, about 0.18% by wt. of scandium, about 0.13% by wt. of iron, about 0.088% by wt. of silicon, and aluminum a composition comprising
about 7.11% by wt. of zinc, about 2.14% by wt., about 1.56% by wt. of copper, about 0.25% by wt. of manganese, about 0.17% by wt. of zirconium, about 0.38% by wt. of scandium, about 0.094% by wt. of iron, about 0.088% by wt. of silicon, and aluminum a composition comprising
about 7.05% by wt. of zinc, about 2.35% by wt. of magnesium, about 1.55% by wt. of copper, about 0.27% by wt. of manganese, about 0.14% by wt. of zirconium, about 0.49% by wt. of scandium, about 0.095% by wt. of iron, about 0.082% by wt. of silicon, and aluminum, a composition comprising
about 10.3 by wt. % of zinc, about 2.7 by wt. % of magnesium, about 1.3 by wt. % of copper, about 0.38 by wt. % of manganese, about 0.15 by wt. % of zirconium, about 0.49 by wt. % of scandium, and aluminum a composition comprising
about 12.0 by wt. % of zinc, about 3.3 by wt. % of manganese, about 1.2 by wt. % of copper, about 0.38 by wt. % of manganese, about 0.13 by wt. % of zirconium, about 0.49 by wt. % of scandium, aluminum, a composition comprising
about 9.0% by wt. zinc, about 3.0% by wt. magnesium, about 2.6% by wt. copper, about 0.1% by wt. chromium, about 0.2% by wt. cerium, about 0.20% by wt. nickel, about 0.1% by wt. vanadium, about 0.2% by wt. zirconium, about 0.2% by wt. scandium, about 0.12% by wt. iron, about 0.09% by wt. silicon, and aluminum, a composition comprising
about 8.9% by wt. zinc, about 2.7% by wt. magnesium, about 2.4% by wt. copper, about 0.2% by wt. manganese, about 0.1% by wt. hafnium, about 0.1% by wt. zirconium, about 0.46% by wt. scandium, about 0.05% by wt. chromium, about 0.16% by wt. iron, about 0.07% by wt. silicon, less than 0.05% by wt. nickel, less than 0.05% by wt. titanium, less than 0.05% by wt. vanadium, and aluminum, and a composition comprising
about 8.5% by wt. zinc, about 2.6% by wt. magnesium, about 2.2% by wt. copper, about 0.2% by wt. manganese, about 0.1% by wt. silver, about 0.1% by wt. zirconium, about 0.4% by wt. scandium, about 0.15% by wt. iron, about 0.10% by wt. silicon, and aluminum.
- 20. A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein said annealing said aluminum alloy composition at said first annealing temperature is characterized by an annealing temperature and duration sufficient to precipitate particles from said aluminum alloy composition that would prevent grain growth during annealing.
- 21. A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein said annealing said aluminum alloy composition at said first annealing temperature is characterized by an annealing temperature and duration sufficient to cause scandium, haftium, and zirconium to precipitate from coherent Al3 (Sc, Hf, Zr) particles.
- 22. A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein said method further comprises selecting alloying elements to form the aluminum alloy composition.
- 23. A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein said method further comprises melting alloying elements to form the aluminum alloy composition.
- 24. A method as claimed in claim 23, wherein said melting occurs at a temperature above 700° C.
- 25. A method as claimed in claim 23, wherein said melting occurs at a temperature between about 750° C. to about 800° C.
- 26. A method as claimed in claim 23, wherein said melting occurs at a temperature at which all alloying elements are in a liquid solution with no solid intermetallic particles.
- 27. A method as claimed in claim 23, wherein said melting occurs in a protective atmosphere.
- 28. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said method further comprises casting said aluminum alloy composition.
- 29. A method as claimed in claim 28, wherein said casting provides a cooling rate that is not less than about 40° C./sec.
- 30. A method as claimed in claim 28, wherein said casting provides a cooling of said aluminum alloy to a temperature of about 300° C.
- 31. A method as claimed in claim 19, further comprising hot-working said aluminum alloy composition.
- 32. A method as claimed in claim 31, wherein said hot-working is performed at a temperature between about 350° C. to about 450° C.
- 33. A method as claimed in claim 31, wherein said hot-working is performed with a true strain of about 1.
- 34. A method as claimed in claim 31, wherein said hot-working is performed with a true strain over 1.
- 35. A method as claimed in claim 31, wherein said hot-working is performed after said annealing at said first annealing temperature.
- 36. A method as claimed in claim 31, wherein said hot-working is performed before said annealing at said second annealing temperature.
- 37. A method as claimed in claim 31, wherein said hot-working is performed after said annealing at said first annealing temperature and before said annealing at said second annealing temperature.
- 38. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said method further comprises quenching said aluminum alloy composition
- 39. A method as claimed in claim 38, wherein said quenching is performed using a material selected from water or oil.
- 40. A method as claimed in claim 38, wherein said quenching occurs after annealing said aluminum alloy composition at said first annealing temperature.
- 41. A method as claimed in claim 38, wherein said quenching occurs after annealing said aluminum alloy composition at said second annealing temperature.
- 42. A method as claimed in claim 38, wherein said quenching is performed at a rate that prevents precipitation of alloying elements.
- 43. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said second annealing temperature is higher than said first annealing temperature.
- 44. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said first annealing temperature is between about 250° C. and about 370° C.
- 45. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said second annealing temperature is between about 430° C. and about 500° C.
- 46. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said second annealing temperature is between about 460° C. to about 480° C.
- 47. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said annealing at said second annealing temperature occurs for about 1 hour.
- 48. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said aging is performed at a temperature between about 110° C. and about 160° C.
- 49. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said aging is conducted at a temperature between about 120° C. and about 150° C.
- 50. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said aging occurs for a time between about 6 hours and about 24 hours.
- 51. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said aging occurs for an amount of time between about 1 hour and about 24 hours.
- 52. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said method further comprises two-step aging said aluminum alloy composition.
- 53. A method as claimed in claim 52, wherein said two-step aging comprises:
aging said aluminum alloy composition at a first aging temperature; and aging said aluminum alloy composition at a second aging temperature.
- 54. A method as claimed in claim 52, wherein said first aging temperature is between about 110° C. and about 130° C.
- 55. A method as claimed in claim 52, wherein aging at said first aging temperature occurs for an amount of time between 2 hours and 48 hours.
- 56. A method as claimed in claim 52, wherein said second aging temperature is higher than said first aging temperature.
- 57. A method as claimed in claim 52, wherein said second aging temperature is up to about 160° C.
- 58. A method as claimed in claim 52, wherein said second aging temperature occurs for an amount of time between about 0.5 hours and 6 hours.
- 59. A method as claimed in claim 52, wherein said two-step aging is performed on an aluminum alloy composition having a zinc content less than 8% by wt.
- 60. A method as claimed in claim 59, wherein said first aging temperature is about 130° C.
- 61. A method as claimed in claim 59, wherein said second aging temperature is about 150° C.
- 62. A method as claimed in claim 59, wherein aging at said second aging temperature occurs for an amount of time between about 0.5 hours and about 6 hours.
- 63. A method as claimed in claim 52, wherein said two-step aging is performed on an aluminum alloy composition having a zinc content of at least 8% by wt.
- 64. A method as claimed in claim 63, wherein said second aging temperature is performed between about 160° C. and about 200° C.
- 65. A method as claimed in claim 63, wherein said aging at said second aging temperature is performed for a period of time not exceeding 1 hour.
- 66. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said aluminum alloy composition is provided, annealed, and aged so as to produce an aluminum alloy composition having a tensile strength of at least 650 MPa at an elongation of at least 7% at room temperature.
- 67. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said aluminum alloy composition is provided, annealed, and aged so as to produce an aluminum alloy composition having a tensile strength of at least 790 MPa at an elongation of at least 6% at a cryogenic temperature.
- 68. A method as claimed in claim 67, wherein said cryogenic temperature is about the temperature of liquid nitrogen.
- 69. A method as claimed in claim 67, wherein said cryogenic temperature is about −196° C.
- 70. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said aluminum alloy composition is provided, annealed, and aged so as to produce an aluminum alloy composition having a tensile strength of at least 900 MPa at a cryogenic temperature.
- 71. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said aluminum alloy composition is provided, annealed, and aged so as to produce an aluminum alloy composition having a tensile strength of at least 900 MPa at room temperature.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is related to U.S. application Ser. No. ______, filed Nov. 8, 2002, Attorney Docket No. UNI 0043 PA.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] This invention was made with government support under Contract No. F04611-01-C0030 awarded by the Department of the Air Force. The Government has certain rights in this invention.