High temperature aluminum alloys

• US 20060269437A1
• Filed: 05/31/2005
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Pandey, Awadh B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,875,132 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 420/550
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 21/00 Alloys based on aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: C22F 1/04 of aluminium or alloys based thereon

Abstract

High temperature aluminum alloys that can be used at temperatures from about −420° F. (−251° C.) up to about 650° F. (343° C.) are described herein. These alloys comprise aluminum; scandium; at least one of nickel, iron, chromium, manganese and cobalt; and at least one of zirconium, gadolinium, hafnium, yttrium, niobium and vanadiuim. These alloys comprise an aluminum solid solution matrix and a mixture of various dispersoids. These alloys are substantially free of magnesium.

Claims

1. An aluminum alloy comprising:

(a) about 0.6-2.9 weight percent scandium;

(b) at least one of;

about 1.5-25 weight percent nickel, about 1.5-20 weight percent iron, about 1-18 weight percent chromium, about 1.5-25 weight percent manganese, and about 1-25 weight percent cobalt;

(c) at least one of;

about 0.4-2.9 weight percent zirconium, about 0.4-20 weight percent gadolinium, about 0.4-30 weight percent hafnium, about 0.4-30 weight percent yttrium, about 0.3-10 weight percent niobium, and about 0.2-10 weight percent vanadium; and

(d) the balance substantially aluminum.

2. The aluminum alloy of claim 1, wherein the alloy comprises an aluminum solid solution matrix and a plurality of dispersoids, the dispersoids comprising at least one of:

Al₃Ni, Al₃Fe, Al₆Fe, Al₇Cr, Al₆Mn, Al₉CO₂, and Al₃X,

each Al₃X dispersoid having an Ll₂ structure where X comprises scandium and at least one of;

zirconium, gadolinium, hafnium, yttrium, niobium and vanadium.

3. The aluminum alloy of claim 1, wherein the alloy is substantially free of magnesium.

4. The aluminum alloy of claim 1, wherein the alloy is capable of being used at temperatures from about −

420°

F. (−

251°

C.) up to about 650°

F. (343°

C.).

5. The aluminum alloy of claim 1, wherein the aluminum alloy is used in at least one of:

an aircraft component, a rocket component, and an automobile component.

6. The aluminum alloy of claim 5, wherein the rocket component comprises at least one of a structural jacket, a turbo pump housing, a turbine rotor, a turbine rotor housing, an impeller, a valve, a valve housing, an injector, a nozzle, a bracket, a duct, a plumbing component, and a structural rocket engine component.

7. The aluminum alloy of claim 5, wherein the aircraft component comprises at least one of an air inlet housing, a stator assembly, a gearbox, a bearing housing, a carbon seal housing, a dome, a cover, a vane, and a stator.

8. The aluminum alloy of claim 1, wherein the alloy further comprises up to about 50 volume percent of a reinforcing second phase.

9. The aluminum alloy of claim 8, wherein the reinforcing second phase comprises at least one of:

an oxide, a carbide, a nitride, an oxynitride, an oxycarbonitride, a silicide, a boride, a ferrous alloy, boron, graphite, tungsten, titanium, SiC, Si₃N₄, Al₂O₃, B₄C, Y₂O₃, MgAl₂O₄, TiC and TiB₂.

10. The aluminum alloy of claim 1, wherein the alloy is produced by at least one of:

a rapid solidification technique utilizing a cooling rate of at least about 10³°

C./second or higher; and

a casting process.

11. The aluminum alloy of claim 10, wherein the casting process comprises at least one of:

squeeze casting, die casting, sand casting, and permanent mold casting.

12. The aluminum alloy of claim 10, wherein the rapid solidification technique comprises at least one of:

melt spinning, splat quenching, atomization, spray deposition, vacuum plasma spraying, cold spraying, laser melting, mechanical alloying, cryomilling, spin forming, and ball milling.

13. The aluminum alloy of claim 10, wherein the rapid solidification technique comprises at least the following steps:

creating an ingot having a predetermined composition;

melting the ingot;

atomizing the melted ingot to form a powder;

degassing the powder;

compacting the powder to create a billet;

hot working the billet into a predetermined form.

14. The aluminum alloy of claim 13, wherein the creating step occurs in an argon atmosphere at about 1149-1260°

C. for about 15-60 minutes.

15. The aluminum alloy of claim 13, wherein the melting step occurs in an argon atmosphere at about 1316-1427°

C. for about 15-60 minutes.

16. The aluminum alloy of claim 13, wherein the degassing step comprises hot vacuum degassing the powder at about 343-399°

C. for about 4-15 hours.

17. The aluminum alloy of claim 13, wherein the compacting step comprises vacuum hot pressing the powder at about 343-399°

C. for about 1-5 hours.

18. The aluminum alloy of claim 13, wherein the hot working step occurs at about 343-399°

C. for about 5-30 minutes.

19. An aluminum alloy comprising:

(a) about 0.6-2.9 weight percent scandium;

(b) about 1.5-25 weight percent nickel;

(c) at least one of;

about 0.4-20 weight percent gadolinium,

about 0.4-2.9 weight percent zirconium,

about 0.4-30 weight percent hafnium,

about 0.3-10 weight percent niobium,

about 0.2-10 weight percent vanadium, and

about 0.4-30 weight percent yttrium; and

(d) the balance substantially aluminum.

20. The aluminum alloy of claim 19, wherein the alloy comprises an aluminum solid solution matrix and a dispersion of Al₃Ni and Al₃X, the Al₃X having an Ll₂ structure where X comprises scandium and at least one of gadolinium, zirconium, hafnium, niobium, vanadium and yttrium.

21. The aluminum alloy of claim 19, wherein the alloy is substantially free of magnesium.

22. The aluminum alloy of claim 19, wherein the alloy is capable of being used at temperatures from about −

420°

F. (−

251°

C.) up to about 650°

F. (343°

C.).

23. The aluminum alloy of claim 19, wherein the aluminum alloy is used in at least one of:

an aircraft component, a rocket component, and an automobile component.

24. The aluminum alloy of claim 23, wherein the rocket component comprises at least one of a structural jacket, a turbo pump housing, a turbine rotor, a turbine rotor housing, an impeller, a valve, a valve housing, an injector, a nozzle, a bracket, a duct, a plumbing component, and a structural rocket component.

25. The aluminum alloy of claim 23, wherein the aircraft component comprises at least one of an air inlet housing, a stator assembly, a gearbox, a bearing housing, a carbon seal housing, a dome, a cover, a vane, and a stator.

26. The aluminum alloy of claim 19, comprising:

(a) about 1-2.9 weight percent scandium;

(b) about 6-10 weight percent nickel;

(c) at least one of;

about 2-10 weight percent gadolinium,

about 0.5-2.9 weight percent zirconium,

about 6-12 weight percent hafnium,

about 1-6 weight percent niobium,

about 1-5 weight percent vanadium, and

about 1-8 weight percent yttrium; and

(d) the balance substantially aluminum.

27. The aluminum alloy of claim 26, comprising:

(a) about 2.15 weight percent scandium;

(b) about 8.4 weight percent nickel;

(c) at least one of;

about 4.1-8.8 weight percent gadolinium,

about 1.5-2.5 weight percent zirconium,

about 8.0-11.5 weight percent hafnium,

about 2.5-5.0 weight percent niobium,

about 2.0-3.2 weight percent vanadium, and

about 2.5-6.5 weight percent yttrium; and

(d) the balance substantially aluminum.

28. An aluminum alloy comprising at least one of the following compositions, in weight percent:

about Al-(6-10)Ni-(1-2.9)Sc-(6-10)Gd-(0.5-2.9)Zr;

about Al-(6-10)Ni-(1-2.9)Sc-(6-10)Gd-(1-4)Y;

about Al-(6-10)Ni-(1-2.9)Sc-(2-6)Gd-(4-8)Y;

about Al-(6-10)Ni-(1-2.9)Sc-(6-12)Hf-(0.5-2.9)Zr;

about Al-(6-10)Ni-(1-2.9)Sc-(6-12)Hf-(3-7)Gd;

about Al-(6-10)Ni-(1-2.9)Sc-(6-12)Hf-(2-6)Y;

about Al-(6-10)Ni-(1-2.9)Sc-(4-9)Y-(0.5-2.9)Zr;

about Al-(6-10)Ni-(1-2.9)Sc-(1-6)Nb-(0.5-2.9)Zr;

about Al-(6-10)Ni-(1-2.9)Sc-(6-12)Hf-(1-6)Nb;

about Al-(6-10)Ni-(1-2.9)Sc-(6-12)Hf-(1-5)V;

about Al-(6-10)Ni-(1-2.9)Sc-(1-6)Nb-(1-5)V;

about Al-(6-10)Ni-(1-2.9)Sc-(0.5-2.9)Zr-(1-5)V;

about Al-8.4Ni-2.15Sc-8.8Gd-1.5Zr;

about Al-8.4Ni-2.15Sc-8.5Gd-2.5Y;

about Al-8.4Ni-2.15Sc-4.1Gd-5.4Y;

about Al-8.4Ni-2.15Sc-11.5Hf-1.5Zr;

about Al-8.4Ni-2.15Sc-9.8Hf-1.5Zr;

about Al-8.4Ni-2.15Sc-9.0Hf-4.5Gd;

about Al-8.4Ni-2.15Sc-8.5Hf-3.0Y;

about Al-8.4Ni-2.15Sc-6.5Y-1.5Zr;

about Al-8.4Ni-2.15Sc-5.0Nb-2.1Zr;

about Al-8.4Ni-2.15Sc-9.5Hf-2.5Nb;

about Al-8.4Ni-2.15Sc-8.0Hf-2.0V;

about Al-8.4Ni-2.15Sc-2.5Nb-3.2V; and

about Al-8.4Ni-2.15Sc-2.5Zr-3.2V.

29. An aluminum alloy comprising the following composition, in weight percent:

about Al-8.4Ni-2.15Sc-8.8Gd-2.5Zr.

30. The aluminum alloy of claim 29, wherein the alloy comprises an aluminum solid solution matrix, a plurality of Al₃(Sc,Gd,Zr) dispersoids having an Ll₂ structure, and a plurality of Al₃Ni dispersoids.

31. The aluminum alloy of claim 29, wherein the alloy is substantially free of magnesium.

32. The aluminum alloy of claim 29, wherein the alloy is capable of being used at temperatures from about −

420°

F. (−

251°

C.) up to about 650°

F. (343°

C.).

33. The aluminum alloy of claim 29, wherein the alloy further comprises up to about 50 volume percent of a reinforcing second phase.

34. The aluminum alloy of claim 33, wherein the reinforcing second phase comprises at least one of:

an oxide, a carbide, a nitride, an oxynitride, an oxycarbonitride, a silicide, a boride, a ferrous alloy, boron, graphite, tungsten, titanium, SiC, Si₃N₄, Al₂O₃, B₄C, Y₂O₃, MgAl₂O₄, TiC and TiB₂.

35. The aluminum alloy of claim 29, wherein the alloy is produced by at least one of:

a rapid solidification technique utilizing a cooling rate of at least about 10³°

C./second or higher; and

a casting process.

36. The aluminum alloy of claim 29, wherein the casting process comprises at least one of:

squeeze casting, die casting, sand casting, and permanent mold casting.

37. The aluminum alloy of claim 29, wherein the rapid solidification technique comprises at least one of:

melt spinning, splat quenching, atomization, spray deposition, vacuum plasma spraying, cold spraying, laser melting, mechanical alloying, cryomilling, spin forming, and ball milling.

38. The aluminum alloy of claim 35, wherein the rapid solidification technique comprises at least the following steps:

creating an ingot having a predetermined composition;

melting the ingot;

atomizing the melted ingot to form a powder;

degassing the powder;

compacting the powder to create a billet;

hot working the billet into a predetermined form.

39. The aluminum alloy of claim 38, wherein the creating step occurs in an argon atmosphere at about 1149-1260°

C. for about 15-60 minutes.

40. The aluminum alloy of claim 38, wherein the melting step occurs in an argon atmosphere at about 1316-1427°

C. for about 15-60 minutes.

41. The aluminum alloy of claim 38, wherein the degassing step comprises hot vacuum degassing the powder at about 343-399°

C. for about 4-15 hours.

42. The aluminum alloy of claim 38, wherein the compacting step comprises vacuum hot pressing the powder at about 343-399°

C. for about 1-5 hours.

43. The aluminum alloy of claim 38, wherein the hot working step occurs at about 343-399°

C. for about 5-30 minutes.

44. The aluminum alloy of claim 29, wherein the aluminum alloy is used in at least one of:

an aircraft component, a rocket component, and an automobile component.

45. The aluminum alloy of claim 44, wherein the rocket component comprises at least one of a structural jacket, a turbo pump housing, a turbine rotor, a turbine rotor housing, an impeller, a valve, a valve housing, an injector, a nozzle, a bracket, a duct, a plumbing component, and a structural rocket engine component.

46. The aluminum alloy of claim 44, wherein the aircraft component comprises at least one of an air inlet housing, a stator assembly, a gearbox, a bearing housing, a carbon seal housing, a dome, a cover, a vane, and a stator.