ALUMINUM ALLOY CONDUCTOR AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME

• US 20130126055A1
• Filed: 01/17/2013
• Published: 05/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Furukawa Automotive Systems Incorporated (Furukawa Electric Company Limited), Furukawa Electric Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Furukawa Automotive Systems Incorporated (Furukawa Electric Company Limited), Furukawa Electric Company Limited
• Inventors: SEKIYA, Shigeki, SUSAI, Kyota, MIHARA, Kuniteru
• Application Number:
  US13/744,107
• Publication Number:
  US 20130126055A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 148/550
• CPC Class Codes: B21C 1/003 Drawing materials of special alloys so far as the composition of the alloy requires or permits special drawing methods or sequences
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 21/007 with low melting point, e.g. Al 659 degrees C, Mg 650 degrees C
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 21/00 Alloys based on aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 21/02 with silicon as the next major constituent
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 21/08 with silicon
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 21/14 with silicon
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 21/16 with magnesium
• CPC Class Codes: C22F 1/04 of aluminium or alloys based thereon
• CPC Class Codes: C22F 1/05 of alloys of the Al-Si-Mg type, i.e. containing silicon and magnesium in approximately equal proportions
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/023 Alloys based on aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 13/0006 for reducing the size of conductors or cables
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 13/0016 for heat treatment

Abstract

An aluminum alloy conductor, having a specific aluminum alloy composition of Al—Fe—Cu—Mg—Si—(TiN) or Al—Fe—(Cu/Mg/Si)—(TiN), in which, on a cross-section vertical to a wire-drawing direction, a grain size is 1 to 20 μm, and a distribution density of a second phase with a size of 10 to 200 nm is 1 to 10² particles/μm²; and a production method thereof.

Claims

1. An aluminum alloy conductor, consisting of:

0.01 to 0.4 mass % of Fe, 0.1 to 0.5 mass % of Cu, 0.04 to 0.3 mass % of Mg, 0.02 to 0.3 mass % of Si, and 0.001 to 0.01 mass % in total of Ti and V, with the balance being Al and inevitable impurities,

wherein, on a cross-section vertical to a wire-drawing direction, a grain size is 1 to 20 μ

m, and a distribution density of a second phase with a size of 10 to 200 nm is 1 to 10² particles/μ

m².

2. The aluminum alloy conductor according to claim 1, wherein a cooling speed in a casting step for the aluminum alloy conductor is 1 to 20°

C./second, and wherein, on the cross-section vertical to the wire-drawing direction, the grain size is 1 to 5 μ

m.

3. The aluminum alloy conductor according to claim 1, which has a tensile strength of 100 MPa or more, an electrical conductivity of 55% IACS or more, and a tensile elongation at breakage of 10% or more.

4. A method of producing the aluminum alloy conductor according to claim 1, comprising the steps of:

[1] melting, [2] casting, [3] hot- or cold-working, [4] first wire-drawing at a working degree of 1 to 6, [5] intermediate annealing under heat treatment conditions of a temperature of 300°

C. to 450°

C. and a time period of 10 minutes to 6 hours, [6] second wire-drawing at a working degree of 1 to 6, and [7] finish annealing by a continuous electric heat treatment under conditions satisfying the relationships;

0.03≦

x≦

0.55, and

26x<sup>−

0.6</sup>+377≦

y≦

19x<sup>−

0.6</sup>+477

in which y (°

C.) represents a wire temperature and x (sec) represents an annealing time period.

5. The method of producing the aluminum alloy conductor according to claim 4, wherein a rod before the first wire-drawing step [4] is heat-treated under heat treatment conditions of a temperature of 300°

C. to 450°

C. and a time period of 10 minutes to 6 hours.

6. An electrical wiring, comprising the aluminum alloy conductor according to claim 1.

7. A conductor wire for a battery cable, a wire harness, or a motor, each in a movable body, comprising the aluminum alloy conductor according to claim 1.

8. A terminal, comprising the aluminum alloy conductor according to claim 1.

9. An aluminum alloy conductor, consisting of:

0.4 to 1.2 mass % of Fe, 0.02 to 0.5 mass % in total of at least one additive element selected from the group consisting of Cu, Mg, and Si, and 0.001 to 0.01 mass % in total of Ti and V, with the balance being Al and inevitable impurities,

wherein, on a cross-section vertical to a wire-drawing direction, a grain size is 1 to 20 μ

m, and a distribution density of a second phase with a size of 10 to 200 nm is 1 to 10² particles/μ

m².

10. The aluminum alloy conductor according to claim 9, wherein a cooling speed in a casting step for the aluminum alloy conductor is 1 to 20°

C./second, and wherein, on the cross-section vertical to the wire-drawing direction, the grain size is 1 to 5 μ

M.

11. The aluminum alloy conductor according to claim 9, which has a tensile strength of 100 MPa or more, an electrical conductivity of 55% IACS or more, and a tensile elongation at breakage of 10% or more.

12. A method of producing the aluminum alloy conductor according to claim 9, comprising the steps of:

[1] melting, [2] casting, [3] hot- or cold-working, [4] first wire-drawing at a working degree of 1 to 6, [5] intermediate annealing under heat treatment conditions of a temperature of 300°

C. to 450°

C. and a time period of 10 minutes to 6 hours, [6] second wire-drawing at a working degree of 1 to 6, and [7] finish annealing by a continuous electric heat treatment under conditions satisfying the relationships;

0.03≦

x≦

0.55, and

26x<sup>−

0.6</sup>+377≦

y≦

19x<sup>−

0.6</sup>+477

in which y (°

C.) represents a wire temperature and x (sec) represents an annealing time period.

13. The method of producing the aluminum alloy conductor according to claim 12, wherein a rod before the first wire-drawing step [4] is heat-treated under heat treatment conditions of a temperature of 300°

C. to 450°

C. and a time period of 10 minutes to 6 hours.

14. An electrical wiring, comprising the aluminum alloy conductor according to claim 9.

15. A conductor wire for a battery cable, a wire harness, or a motor, each in a movable body, comprising the aluminum alloy conductor according to claim 9.

16. A terminal, comprising the aluminum alloy conductor according to claim 9.