Aluminum Alloy Powder Metal With Transition Elements

Abstract

A transition element-doped aluminum powder metal and a method of making this powder metal are disclosed. The method of making includes forming an aluminum-transition element melt in which a transition element content of the aluminum-transition element melt is less than 6 percent by weight. The aluminum-transition element melt is then powderized to form a transition element-doped aluminum powder metal. The powderization may occur by, for example, air atomization.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A powder metal comprising:
 a transition element-doped aluminum powder metal;   wherein one or more transition elements are homogenously dispersed throughout the transition element-doped aluminum powder metal and wherein the transition element-doped aluminum powder metal contains less than 6 weight percent of the one or more transition elements.   
     
     
         2 . The powder metal of  claim 1 , wherein the transition element-doped aluminum powder metal is air atomized. 
     
     
         3 . The powder metal of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more transition elements are selected from a group consisting of iron, nickel, titanium, and manganese. 
     
     
         4 . The powder metal of  claim 1 , wherein at least one ceramic additive is added up to 15 volume percent. 
     
     
         5 . The powder metal of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one ceramic additive is SiC. 
     
     
         6 . The powder metal of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one ceramic additive is AlN. 
     
     
         7 . The powder metal of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more transition elements include 1 weight percent iron and 1 weight percent nickel. 
     
     
         8 . The powder metal of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more transition elements are doped into a 2324 aluminum alloy. 
     
     
         9 . The powder metal of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more transition elements include 1 weight percent iron and 1 weight percent nickel. 
     
     
         10 . The powder metal of  claim 8 , wherein the 2324 aluminum alloy includes 3.8-4.4 weight percent copper, 1.2-1.8 weight percent magnesium, 0.3-0.9 weight percent manganese, no more than 0.10 weight percent chromium, no more than 0.25 weight percent zinc, no more than 0.10 weight percent silicon, no more than 0.12 weight percent iron, and no more than 0.15 weight percent titanium. 
     
     
         11 . The powder metal of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more transition elements include 1 weight percent iron and 1 weight percent nickel. 
     
     
         12 . The powder metal of  claim 1 , wherein a powder metal part formed from the transition element-doped aluminum powder metal has fewer intermetallics formed along grain boundaries of the part in comparison to a powder metal part made from a powder metal of similar composition but with the transition element added as an elemental powder or as part of a master alloy.