Aluminum alloys, aluminum alloy products and methods for making the same

• US 8,349,462 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2010
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcoa USA Corp. (Alcoa Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Alcoa Incorporated (Howmet Aerospace, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lin, Jen C., Fields, James R., Askin, Albert L., Yan, Xinyan, Sawtell, Ralph R., Sullivan, Shawn Patrick, Abbott, Janell Lyn
• Primary Examiner(s): McNeil, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Katz, Vera
• Application Number:
  US12/657,099
• Publication Number:
  US 20100183869A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 428/472.2
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 17/00 Pressure die casting or injection die casting, i.e. casting in which the metal is forced into a mould under high pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 17/20 Accessories: Details
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 21/007 with low melting point, e.g. Al 659 degrees C, Mg 650 degrees C
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 25/00 Special casting characterised by the nature of the product B22D15/02, B22D17/16, B22D19/00 take precedence; casting stereotype plates B41D3/00
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 21/00 Alloys based on aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 11/022 Anodisation on selected surface areas
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 11/04 of aluminium or alloys based thereon
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 11/16 Pretreatment , e.g. desmutting
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 11/18 After-treatment, e.g. pore-sealing
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 5/02 Electroplating of selected surface areas
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 9/06 by anodic processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12736 Al-base component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/26 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component, the element or component having a specified physical dimension

Abstract

Decorative shape cast products and methods, systems, compositions and apparatus for producing the same are described. In one embodiment, the decorative shape cast products are produced from an Al—Ni or Al—Ni—Mn alloy, with a tailored microstructure to facilitate production of anodized decorative shape cast product having the appropriate finish and mechanical properties.

Claims

1. A thin walled die-cast aluminum alloy product made from an aluminum casting alloy consisting of:

about 6.6 to about 8.0 wt. % Ni;

about 0.5 to about 3.5 wt. % Mn;

up to about 0.25 wt. % of any of Fe and Si;

up to about 0.5 wt. % of any of Cu, Zn, and Mg;

up to about 0.2 wt. % of any of Ti, Zr, and Sc, wherein one of B and C may be included up to about 0.1 wt. %;

up to about 0.05 wt. % of other elements, wherein a total amount of the other elements does not exceed 0.15 wt. %; and

balance being aluminum;

wherein the thin walled die-cast aluminum alloy product has a thickness not greater than 1.0 millimeters, wherein the thin walled die-cast aluminum alloy product has an anodized intended viewing surface and the anodized intended viewing surface is substantially free of visually apparent surface defects.

2. The thin walled die-cast aluminum alloy product made from an aluminum casting alloy of claim 1, wherein the product has an ISO brightness of at least about 20.

3. The thin walled die-cast aluminum alloy product made from an aluminum casting alloy of claim 1, wherein the product has a CIELAB L-value of at least about 55.

4. The thin walled die-cast aluminum alloy product made from an aluminum casting alloy of claim 1, wherein the product realizes a tensile yield strength of at least about 100 MPa in the F temper.

5. The thin walled die-cast aluminum alloy product made from an aluminum casting alloy of claim 1, wherein the product realizes an impact strength of at least about 4 joules in the F temper.

6. The thin walled die-cast aluminum alloy product made from an aluminum casting alloy of claim 1, wherein the product has a layered microstructure;

wherein the layered microstructure comprises an outer layer and a second layer;

wherein the outer layer comprises alpha aluminum phase and eutectic microstructure;

wherein the outer layer comprises a thickness of not greater than about 400 microns.