Printable Aluminum Alloys with Good Anodized Cosmetic Surfaces

Abstract

The disclosure provides aluminum alloys with high tensile strength and appealing cosmetics and improved tensile yield strength. The aluminum alloys include 0.5 to 3.0 wt % Mg and 0.2 to 3.0 wt % Si. The alloys have a weight ratio of Mg to Si ranging from 2 to 4.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An aluminum alloy comprising: 0.5 to 3.0 wt % Mg and 0.2 to 3.0 wt % Si, wherein the alloy has a weight ratio of Mg to Si ranging from 2.0 to 4.0. 
     
     
         2 . The alloy of  claim 1 , wherein the alloy comprises 0.5 to 1.6 wt % Mg. 
     
     
         3 . The alloy of  claim 1 , wherein the alloy comprises 0.2 to 0.5 wt % Si. 
     
     
         4 . The alloy of  claim 1 , wherein the alloy comprises at least 0.04 wt % Fe. 
     
     
         5 . The alloy of  claim 1 , wherein the alloy comprises 0.35 wt % Fe or less. 
     
     
         6 . The alloy of  claim 1 , wherein the alloy comprises less than 0.06 wt % of the one or more elements Cu, Cr, Mn, Zn, and V. 
     
     
         7 . The alloy of  claim 1 , wherein the alloy further comprises up to 0.5 wt % of an additional metal chosen from Zr, Sc, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The alloy of  claim 1 , wherein the alloy has a yield strength of at least 200 MPa. 
     
     
         9 . The alloy of  claim 8 , wherein a Scheil temperature of the alloy is higher than a solvus temperature T solvus  for Mg 2 Si. 
     
     
         10 . The alloy of  claim 1 , wherein the alloy has a Scheil temperature ΔT 80%-99%  smaller than 60° C. 
     
     
         11 . The alloy of  claim 1 , wherein the alloy has a solutionizing temperature window of at least 20° C. 
     
     
         12 . The alloy of  claim 1 , wherein the alloy has a critical cooling rate less than 80° C./s. 
     
     
         13 . The alloy of  claim 1 , wherein the alloy comprises MgSi 2  particles and excess Mg in the alloy matrix in an amount of up to about 2 wt % of the alloy. 
     
     
         14 . The alloy of  claim 13 , wherein the alloy has the Mg 2 Si particles of at least 0.15 vol. %. 
     
     
         15 . The alloy of  claim 1 , wherein the alloy comprises 0.8 to 1.2 wt % Mg 2 Si particles and 0.6 to 0.75 wt % Mg within the Al matrix. 
     
     
         16 . The alloy of  claim 1 , wherein the alloy comprises an eutectic fraction of at least 5% such that hot tearing from thermal contraction during solidification is reduced. 
     
     
         17 . An aluminum alloy comprising
 0.5 to 1.6 wt % Mg,   0.2 to 0.5 wt % Si,   0.04 to 0.35 wt % Fe,   less than 0.06 wt % of the one or more elements Cu, Cr, Mn, Zn, and V,   0.5 wt % of an additional metal chosen from Zr, Sc, and any combination thereof, and   the remainder aluminum and incidental impurities;   wherein the weight ratio of Mg to Si ranges from 3.0 to 4.0.   
     
     
         18 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 17 , comprising 0.8 to 1.2 wt % Mg 2 Si particles and 0.6 to 0.75 wt % Mg. 
     
     
         19 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 18 , wherein the Mg 2 Si particles are at least 0.15 vol % of the alloy. 
     
     
         20 . A method of making an aluminum alloy comprising:
 depositing a powdered aluminum alloy comprising 0.5 to 3.0 wt % Mg and 0.2 to 3.0 wt % Si, wherein the alloy has a weight ratio of Mg to Si ranging from 2.0 to 4.0 on an aluminum alloy substrate;   heating the powdered aluminum alloy to form a melted alloy on the aluminum alloy substrate; and   cooling the melted alloy on the aluminum alloy substrate to form the aluminum alloy.