Alloy composition

Abstract

An alloy composition includes from about 4 wt % to about 11 wt % of silicon based on a total wt % of the alloy composition; from about 0.1 wt % to about 0.5 wt % of chromium based on the total wt % of the alloy composition; from about 0.1 wt % to about 0.5 wt % of magnesium based on the total wt % of the alloy composition; from about 0.01 wt % to about 0.05 wt % of titanium based on the total wt % of the alloy composition; equal to or less than 0.5 wt % of iron based on the total wt % of the alloy composition; equal to or less than 0.5 wt % of manganese based on the total wt % of the alloy composition; and a balance of aluminum.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An alloy composition, comprising:
 from about 4 wt % to about 11 wt % of silicon based on a total wt % of the alloy composition;   from about 0.1 wt % to about 0.5 wt % of chromium based on the total wt % of the alloy composition;   from about 0.1 wt % to about 0.5 wt % of magnesium based on the total wt % of the alloy composition;   from about 0.01 wt % to about 0.05 wt % of titanium based on the total wt % of the alloy composition;   equal to or less than 0.5 wt % of iron based on the total wt % of the alloy composition;   equal to or less than 0.5 wt % of manganese based on the total wt % of the alloy composition; and   a balance of aluminum.   
     
     
         2 . The alloy composition as defined in  claim 1  wherein the alloy composition excludes copper, zinc, zirconium, vanadium, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The alloy composition as defined in  claim 1  wherein:
 from about 6 wt % to about 9 wt % of the silicon is present in the alloy composition; 
 from about 0.15 wt % to about 0.2 wt % of the chromium is present in the alloy composition; 
 from about 0.2 wt % to about 0.5 wt % of the magnesium is present in the alloy composition; 
 from about 0.01 wt % to about 0.02 wt % of the titanium is present in the alloy composition; 
 equal to or less than 0.10 wt % of the iron is present in the alloy composition; and 
 equal to or less than 0.10 wt % of the manganese is present in the alloy composition. 
 
     
     
         4 . The alloy composition as defined in  claim 3  wherein an as-cast structure of the alloy composition has a ductility ranging from about 10% to about 12%. 
     
     
         5 . The alloy composition as defined in  claim 1  wherein:
 from about 4 wt % to about 7 wt % of the silicon is present in the alloy composition; 
 from about 0.15 wt % to about 0.2 wt % of the chromium is present in the alloy composition; 
 from about 0.2 wt % to about 0.5 wt % of the magnesium is present in the alloy composition; 
 from about 0.01 wt % to about 0.02 wt % of the titanium is present in the alloy composition; 
 equal to or less than 0.10 wt % of the iron is present in the alloy composition; and 
 equal to or less than 0.15 wt % of the manganese is present in the alloy composition. 
 
     
     
         6 . The alloy composition as defined in  claim 5  wherein an as-cast structure of the alloy composition has an average elongation index (EI) of about 7% and a yield strength of about 300 MPa. 
     
     
         7 . The alloy composition as defined in  claim 1  wherein:
 from about 9 wt % to about 11 wt % of the silicon is present in the alloy composition; 
 from about 0.15 wt % to about 0.2 wt % of the chromium is present in the alloy composition; 
 from about 0.1 wt % to about 0.2 wt % of the magnesium is present in the alloy composition; 
 from about 0.01 wt % to about 0.02 wt % of the titanium is present in the alloy composition; 
 equal to or less than 0.15 wt % of the iron is present in the alloy composition; and 
 equal to or less than 0.2 wt % of the manganese is present in the alloy composition. 
 
     
     
         8 . The alloy composition as defined in  claim 1  wherein a total wt % of the chromium plus the manganese plus the iron is less than 0.6 wt % based on the total wt % of the alloy composition. 
     
     
         9 . The alloy composition as defined in  claim 1  wherein the aluminum is 99.9% pure before alloying elements of silicon, chromium, magnesium, titanium, iron, and manganese are added thereto. 
     
     
         10 . An alloy composition, consisting essentially of:
 from about 4 wt % to about 11 wt % of silicon based on a total wt % of the alloy composition;   from about 0.1 wt % to about 0.5 wt % of chromium based on the total wt % of the alloy composition;   from about 0.1 wt % to about 0.5 wt % of magnesium based on the total wt % of the alloy composition;   from about 0.01 wt % to about 0.05 wt % of titanium based on the total wt % of the alloy composition;   equal to or less than 0.5 wt % of iron based on the total wt % of the alloy composition;   equal to or less than 0.5 wt % of manganese based on the total wt % of the alloy composition; and   a balance of aluminum.   
     
     
         11 . A method, comprising:
 reducing die soldering during a die casting process by die casting a molten alloy composition, including:   from about 4 wt % to about 11 wt % of silicon based on a total wt % of the alloy composition;   from about 0.1 wt % to about 0.5 wt % of chromium based on the total wt % of the alloy composition; from about 0.1 wt % to about 0.5 wt % of magnesium based on the total wt % of the alloy composition;   from about 0.01 wt % to about 0.05 wt % of titanium based on the total wt % of the alloy composition;   equal to or less than 0.5 wt % of iron based on the total wt % of the alloy composition;   equal to or less than 0.5 wt % of manganese based on the total wt % of the alloy composition; and   a balance of aluminum.   
     
     
         12 . The method as defined in  claim 11  wherein a total wt % of the chromium plus the manganese plus the iron is less than 0.6 wt % based on the total wt % of the molten alloy composition. 
     
     
         13 . The method as defined in  claim 11 , further comprising selecting a wt % of the chromium to reduce a solubility of the iron in the molten alloy composition from about 1.5% to about 0.12%. 
     
     
         14 . The method as defined in  claim 11 , further comprising:
 die casting the molten alloy composition to form a structural body;   removing the structural body from a steel die used during the die casting process; and   wherein the structural body is not exposed to a subsequent heat-treatment process.   
     
     
         15 . The method as defined in  claim 14  wherein one of:
 i) from about 6 wt % to about 9 wt % of the silicon is present in the alloy composition; 
 from about 0.15 wt % to about 0.2 wt % of the chromium is present in the alloy composition; 
 from about 0.2 wt % to about 0.5 wt % of the magnesium is present in the alloy composition; from about 0.01 wt % to about 0.02 wt % of the titanium is present in the alloy composition; 
 equal to or less than 0.10 wt % of the iron is present in the alloy composition; and 
 equal to or less than 0.10 wt % of the manganese is present in the alloy composition; 
 and wherein the structural body has a ductility that ranges from about 10% to about 12%; or 
 ii) from about 4 wt % to about 7 wt % of the silicon is present in the alloy composition; 
 from about 0.15 wt % to about 0.2 wt % of the chromium is present in the alloy composition; 
 from about 0.2 wt % to about 0.5 wt % of the magnesium is present in the alloy composition; 
 from about 0.01 wt % to about 0.02 wt % of the titanium is present in the alloy composition; 
 equal to or less than 0.10 wt % of the iron is present in the alloy composition; and 
 equal to or less than 0.15 wt % of the manganese is present in the alloy composition and wherein the structural body has an average elongation index (EI) of about 7% in an as-cast condition and a yield strength of about 300 MPa.