US2021388468A1PendingUtilityA1

High strength recycled aluminum alloys from manufacturing scrap with cosmetic appeal

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Assignee: APPLE INCPriority: Jun 12, 2020Filed: Jun 10, 2021Published: Dec 16, 2021
Est. expiryJun 12, 2040(~13.9 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Herng-Jeng JouBrian M. GableKatie L. Sassaman
C22B 7/003C22C 1/03C22C 21/02C22C 21/00C22C 1/026C22C 21/08B21B 2003/001B21C 23/002B21B 3/00
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Claims

Abstract

The disclosure provides an aluminum alloy including iron (Fe) in an amount of 0.10 wt % to 0.50 wt %; silicon (Si) in an amount of 0.50 wt % to 1.00 wt %; magnesium (Mg) in amount of 0.50 wt % to 0.90 wt %; one of manganese (Mn) or chromium (Cr) in amount from 0.040 to 0.500 wt %; additional non-aluminum (Al) elements in an amount not exceed 3.5 wt %; and the remaining wt % being Al and incidental impurities, wherein the alloy has a Mg/Si ratio of equal to or greater than 0.90.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . An aluminum alloy comprising:
 iron (Fe) in an amount of 0.10 wt % to 0.50 wt %;   silicon (Si) in an amount of 0.50 wt % to 1.00 wt %;   magnesium (Mg) in amount of 0.50 wt % to 0.90 wt %;   one of manganese (Mn) or chromium (Cr) in amount from 0.030 to 0.500 wt % Cr in an amount from 0.030 to 0.500 wt %, or a combination of Mn and Cr in an amount from 0.030 to 0.800 wt %;   additional non-aluminum (Al) elements in an amount not exceeding 3.5 wt %; and   the remaining wt % being Al and incidental impurities, wherein the alloy has a Mg/Si ratio of equal to or greater than 0.90.   
     
     
         2 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 1 , comprising manganese (Mn) in an amount from 0.040 to 0.500 wt %, Cr in an amount from 0.040 to 0.500 wt %, or a combination of Mn and Cr in an amount from 0.040 to 0.800 wt %. 
     
     
         3 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 1 , wherein a combination of Mn and Cr is in an amount of 0.040 wt % to 0.800 wt %. 
     
     
         4 . The alloy of  claim 1 , wherein the Mg/Si ratio is equal to or greater than 1.00. 
     
     
         5 . The alloy of  claim 1 , further comprising titanium (Ti) from 0 to 0.10 wt %. 
     
     
         6 . The alloy of  claim 1 , wherein manganese (Mn) is from 0.090 to 0.110 wt %. 
     
     
         7 . The alloy of any  claim 1 , further comprising non-aluminum elements selected from:
 copper (Cu) from 0.010 to 0.050 wt %;   chromium (Cr) from 0.040 to 0.100 wt %;   zinc (Zn) from 0 to 0.20 wt %;   gallium (Ga) from 0 to 0.20 wt %;   tin (Sn) from 0 to 0.20 wt %;   vanadium (V) from 0 to 0.20 wt %;   calcium (Ca) from 0 to 0.001 wt %;   sodium (Na) from 0 to 0.002 wt %;   boron (B) from 0 to 0.01 wt %;   zirconium (Zr) from 0 to 0.01 wt %;   lithium (Li) from 0 to 0.01 wt %;   cadmium (Cd) from 0 to 0.01 wt %;   lead (Pb) from 0 to 0.01 wt %;   nickel (Ni) from 0 to 0.01 wt %;   phosphorous (P) from 0 to 0.01 wt %; and   combinations thereof.   
     
     
         8 . The alloy of  claim 1 , wherein the alloy has an elongation less than or equal to 16%. 
     
     
         9 . The alloy of  claim 1 , wherein the alloy has a yield strength of at least 270 MPa and a tensile strength of at least 310 MPa. 
     
     
         10 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 9 , wherein the additional non-aluminum elements in an amount do not exceed 1.0 wt %, and wherein the aluminum alloy has a yield strength of at least 300 MPa and a tensile strength of 330 MPa. 
     
     
         11 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 1 , wherein the alloy comprises α-AlFe(Mn)Si particles of an average diameter of 5 μm. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A process for recycling manufacturing scrap, the process comprising:
 (a) obtaining an aluminum alloy according to  claim 1  from manufacturing scrap,   (b) melting the aluminum alloy to form a melted aluminum alloy;   (c) casting the melted aluminum alloy to form a casted alloy;   (d) extruding or rolling the casted alloy to form an extrusion or a sheet; and   (e) fabricating the extrusion or the sheet to produce a product.   
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the alloy has an extrusion speed of at least 20% higher than 7000 series alloys. 
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the step of melting comprises removing oxides from the aluminum alloys. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . An aluminum alloy comprising:
 iron (Fe) in an amount of 0.10 wt % to 0.50 wt %;   silicon (Si) in an amount of 0.50 wt % to 1.00 wt %;   magnesium (Mg) in amount of 0.50 wt % to 0.90 wt %;   manganese (Mn) in amount from 0 to 0.30 wt %;   additional non-aluminum (Al) elements in an amount not exceed 3.0 wt %; and   the remaining wt % being Al and incidental impurities, wherein the alloy has a Mg/Si ratio of less than or equal to 1.0.   
     
     
         24 . The alloy of  claim 23 , wherein the Mg/Si ratio is less than or equal to 0.90. 
     
     
         25 . The alloy of  claim 23 , further comprising titanium (Ti) from 0 to 0.10 wt %. 
     
     
         26 . The alloy of  claim 23 , wherein manganese (Mn) is from 0.005 to 0.25 wt %. 
     
     
         27 . The alloy of  claim 23 , further comprising non-aluminum elements selected from:
 copper (Cu) from 0.010 to 0.050 wt %;   chromium (Cr) from 0 to 0.10 wt %;   zinc (Zn) from 0 to 0.20 wt %;   gallium (Ga) from 0 to 0.20 wt %;   tin (Sn) from 0 to 0.20 wt %;   vanadium (V) from 0 to 0.20 wt %;   calcium (Ca) from 0 to 0.001 wt %;   sodium (Na) from 0 to 0.002 wt %;   boron (B) from 0 to 0.01 wt %;   zirconium (Zr) from 0 to 0.01 wt %;   lithium (Li) from 0 to 0.01 wt %;   cadmium (Cd) from 0 to 0.01 wt %;   lead (Pb) from 0 to 0.01 wt %;   nickel (Ni) from 0 to 0.01 wt %;   phosphorous (P) from 0 to 0.01 wt %; and   combinations thereof.   
     
     
         28 . The alloy of  claim 23 , wherein the alloy has an average grain size less than or equal to 130 μm and a grain aspect ratio between 0.8 and 1.3. 
     
     
         29 . The alloy of  claim 23 , wherein the alloy has an elongation less than or equal to 14%. 
     
     
         30 . The alloy of  claim 23 , wherein the alloy has a yield strength of at least 250 MPa and a tensile strength of at least 280 MPa. 
     
     
         31 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 30 ,
 wherein the additional non-aluminum elements in an amount do not exceed 1.0 wt %, and   wherein the aluminum alloy has a yield strength of at least 270 MPa and a tensile strength of 300 MPa.   
     
     
         32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . A process for recycling manufacturing scrap, the process comprising:
 (a) obtaining an aluminum alloy according to  claim 23  from manufacturing scrap,   (b) melting the aluminum alloy to form a melted aluminum alloy;   (c) casting the melted aluminum alloy to form a casted alloy;   (d) extruding or rolling the casted alloy to form an extrusion or a sheet; and   (e) fabricating the extrusion or the sheet to produce a product.   
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . The process of  claim 32 , wherein the alloy has an extrusion speed of at least 20% higher than 7000 series alloys. 
     
     
         42 . The process of  claim 32 , wherein the step of melting comprises removing oxides from the aluminum alloys.

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