Component with tailored mechanical and corrosion properties

Abstract

Aluminum alloy components may include a composition including concentrations of, in wt. %, chromium of greater than or equal 0 to less than or equal 0.3, manganese of greater than or equal 0 to less than or equal 0.4, silicon of greater than or equal 6.5 to less than or equal 9.5, magnesium of greater than or equal 0 to less than or equal 0.35, iron of greater than or equal 0.2 to less than or equal 0.4, zinc of greater than or equal 0 to less than or equal 0.15, copper of greater than or equal 0 to less than or equal 0.5, titanium of greater than or equal 0 to less than or equal 0.2, strontium of greater than or equal 0 parts per million to less than or equal 200 parts per million, and a balance being aluminum.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cast aluminum alloy component comprising an aluminum alloy composition that comprises:
 chromium (Cr) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.3 wt. %;   manganese (Mn) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.4 wt. %;   silicon (Si) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 6.5 wt. % to less than or equal to about 9.5 wt. %;   magnesium (Mg) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.35 wt. %;   iron (Fe) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0.2 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.4 wt. %;   zinc (Zn) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.5 wt. %;   copper (Cu) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.5 wt. %;   titanium (Ti) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.2 wt. %;   strontium (Sr) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0 part per million (ppm) to less than or equal to about 200 ppm; and   a balance of the alloy composition being aluminum.   
     
     
         2 . The cast aluminum alloy component of  claim 1 , wherein a total cumulative amount of the iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and chromium (Cr) is less than 0.65 wt. %. 
     
     
         3 . The cast aluminum alloy component of  claim 1 , wherein a sum of the concentration of iron (Fe), one and a half (1.5) times the concentration of manganese (Mn), and two and seven tenths (2.7) times the concentration of chromium (Cr) is greater than 0.8 wt. %. 
     
     
         4 . The cast aluminum alloy component of  claim 1 , wherein the cast aluminum alloy component has a yield strength of greater than or equal to about 1001\4 Pa, an elongation to fracture of greater than or equal to about 8%, and an equivalent bending angle at (t, mm) thickness of greater than or equal to about 34/√{square root over (t)} degrees. 
     
     
         5 . The cast aluminum alloy component of  claim 1 , wherein the cast aluminum alloy component has a yield strength of greater than or equal to about 1101\4 Pa, an elongation to fracture of greater than or equal to about 8%, and an equivalent bending angle at (t, mm) thickness of greater than or equal to about 44/√{square root over (t)} degrees. 
     
     
         6 . The cast aluminum alloy component of  claim 1 , wherein the alloy composition comprises chromium (Cr) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0.2 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.3 wt. %;
 manganese (Mn) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.15 wt. %;   silicon (Si) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 6.5 wt. % to less than or equal to about 8 wt. %;   magnesium (Mg) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0.1 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.3 wt. %;   iron (Fe) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0.2 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.4 wt. %;   zinc (Zn) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.2 wt. %;   copper (Cu) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.5 wt. %; and   a balance of the alloy composition being aluminum.   
     
     
         7 . The cast aluminum alloy component of  claim 1 , wherein the alloy composition comprises
 chromium (Cr) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0.2 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.3 wt. %;   manganese (Mn) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.15 wt. %;   silicon (Si) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 8 wt. % to less than or equal to about 9.5 wt. %;   magnesium (Mg) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.15 wt. %;   iron (Fe) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0.2 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.4 wt. %;   zinc (Zn) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.2 wt. %;   copper (Cu) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.5 wt. %; and   a balance of the alloy composition being aluminum.   
     
     
         8 . The cast aluminum alloy component of  claim 1 , wherein a eutectic silicon phase of the cast aluminum alloy component in an as-cast state includes a coral-like morphology in a three-dimensional space. 
     
     
         9 . A method for fabricating a cast aluminum component, the method comprising:
 forming an aluminum melt using greater than or equal to about 40 wt. % of aluminum scrap;   adjusting the aluminum melt to form an aluminum alloy composition to form the cast aluminum component, wherein the aluminum alloy composition comprises:
 chromium (Cr) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.3 wt. %; 
 manganese (Mn) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.4 wt. %; 
 silicon (Si) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 6.5 wt. % to less than or equal to about 9.5 wt. %; 
 magnesium (Mg) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.35 wt. %; 
 iron (Fe) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0.2 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.4 wt. %; 
 zinc (Zn) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.5 wt. %; 
 copper (Cu) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.5 wt. %; 
 titanium (Ti) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.2 wt. %; 
 strontium (Sr) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0 part per million (ppm) to less than or equal to about 200 ppm; and 
 a balance of the alloy composition being aluminum; and 
   casting the aluminum alloy composition using one of high pressure die casting or semi-solid die casting to form the cast aluminum component.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 heating the cast aluminum component to at least one temperature greater than or equal to about 100° C. to less than or equal to about 250° C. and for greater than or equal to about 10 minutes to less than or equal to about 300 minutes.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 heating the cast aluminum component to about 205° C. for about 60 minutes.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 paint baking the cast aluminum component.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the aluminum alloy composition comprises:
 chromium (Cr) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0.2 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.3 wt. %;   manganese (Mn) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.15 wt. %;   silicon (Si) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 6.5 wt. % to less than or equal to about 8 wt. %;   magnesium (Mg) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0.1 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.3 wt. %;   iron (Fe) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0.2 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.4 wt. %;   zinc (Zn) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.2 wt. %;   copper (Cu) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.5 wt. %; and   a balance of the alloy composition being aluminum.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the aluminum alloy composition comprises:
 chromium (Cr) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0.2 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.3 wt. %;   manganese (Mn) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.15 wt. %;   silicon (Si) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 8 wt. % to less than or equal to about 9.5 wt. %;   magnesium (Mg) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.15 wt. %;   iron (Fe) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0.2 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.4 wt. %;   zinc (Zn) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.2 wt. %;   copper (Cu) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.5 wt. %; and   a balance of the alloy composition being aluminum.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the method generates less than or equal to about 10 tons of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emission per 1 ton of the cast aluminum component that is formed. 
     
     
         16 . A cast aluminum alloy component comprising:
 the cast aluminum alloy component having a yield strength of greater than or equal to about 100 MPa, an elongation to fracture of greater than or equal to about 8%, and an equivalent bending angle at (t, mm) thickness of greater than or equal to about 34/√{square root over (t)} degrees,   the cast aluminum alloy including an aluminum alloy composition that includes   a total cumulative amount of the iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and chromium (Cr) is less than 0.65 wt. %, and   a sum of the concentration of iron (Fe), one and a half (1.5) times the concentration of manganese (Mn), and two and seven tenths (2.7) times the concentration of chromium (Cr) is greater than 0.8 wt. %.   
     
     
         17 . The cast aluminum alloy component of  claim 16 , wherein the alloy composition comprises
 chromium (Cr) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0.2 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.3 wt. %;   manganese (Mn) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.15 wt. %;   silicon (Si) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 8 wt. % to less than or equal to about 9.5 wt. %;   magnesium (Mg) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.15 wt. %;   iron (Fe) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0.2 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.4 wt. %;   zinc (Zn) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.2 wt. %;   copper (Cu) at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.5 wt. %; and   a balance of the alloy composition being aluminum.   
     
     
         18 . The cast aluminum alloy component of  claim 16 , wherein a eutectic silicon phase of the cast aluminum alloy component in an as-cast state includes a coral-like morphology in a three-dimensional space. 
     
     
         19 . The cast aluminum alloy component of  claim 1 , wherein cast aluminum alloy component has been heated to at least one temperature greater than or equal to about 100° C. to less than or equal to about 250° C. and for greater than or equal to about 10 minutes to less than or equal to about 300 minutes. 
     
     
         20 . The cast aluminum alloy component of  claim 16 , wherein the alloy composition comprises impurities at a concentration of less than exactly or about 0.05 wt. %.