Recrystallized aluminum alloys with brass texture and methods of making the same

Abstract

A recrystallized aluminum alloy having brass texture and Goss texture, wherein the amount of brass texture exceeds the amount of Goss texture, and wherein the recrystallized aluminum alloy exhibits at least about the same tensile yield strength and fracture toughness as a compositionally equivalent unrecrystallized alloy of the same product form and of similar thickness and temper.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for making a recrystallized aluminum alloy sheet product, the method comprising:
 (a) completing a hot rolling and a cold work step on an aluminum alloy sheet;   (b) subjecting the aluminum alloy sheet to a first recrystallization anneal;   (c) completing at least one of (i) another cold work step; and (ii) a recovery anneal step on the aluminum alloy sheet;   (d) subjecting the aluminum alloy sheet to a second recrystallization anneal; and   (e) aging the aluminum alloy sheet, thereby producing a recrystallized aluminum sheet product;   
       wherein the recrystallized aluminum sheet product has brass texture and Goss texture, wherein the amount of brass texture exceeds the amount of Goss texture, and wherein the recrystallized aluminum alloy exhibits at least about the same tensile yield strength and fracture toughness as a compositionally equivalent unrecrystallized alloy of the same product form and of similar thickness and temper. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of brass texture intensity to Goss texture intensity in the recrystallized aluminum sheet product is at least about 2 to 1. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the area fraction of brass oriented grains to the area fraction of Goss oriented grains in the recrystallized aluminum alloy product is at least about 2 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the recrystallized aluminum sheet product has a peak R-value in the range of from about 40° to about 60°. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy is a 2XXX series alloy. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the aluminum alloy comprises up to about 7.0 wt. % copper and up to about 4.0 wt. % lithium. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the aluminum alloy is a 2199 series alloy.