Surface treatment of metal substrates simultaneous with solution heat treatment or continuous annealing

Abstract

Methods and metal products are described for simultaneously performing a solution heat treatment operation or continuous annealing operation and surface treatment operation using super-heated steam to produce a processed metal product. An elongated metal substrate can be subjected to a solution heat treatment operation or a continuous annealing operation. Additionally, the elongated metal substrate can be subjected to a surface treatment operation. The solution heat treatment operation or continuous annealing operation and the surface treatment operation can be performed simultaneously using super-heated steam to produce the processed metal product.

1 . A method of comprising:
 subjecting an elongated metal substrate to a solution heat treatment process or a continuous annealing process; and   subjecting the elongated metal substrate to a surface treatment process, wherein the surface treatment process and the solution heat treatment process or continuous annealing process are performed simultaneously using super-heated steam, thereby generating a processed metal product.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the elongated metal substrate comprises an aluminum alloy sheet metal. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the aluminum alloy sheet metal includes one of a 2xxx aluminum alloy, a 5xxx aluminum alloy, a 6xxx aluminum alloy, or a 7xxx aluminum alloy. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising quenching the elongated metal substrate using a quenchant comprising water and at least one of Mn, Ce, Zr, Mo, a silicate, a silane, or a sealant, wherein the processed metal product includes a surface layer comprising at least one of Mn, Ce, Zr, Mo, the silicate, the silane, or the sealant. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the super-heated steam includes an inhibiting material, wherein the inhibiting material comprises at least one of Mn, Ce, Zr, or Mo, and wherein at least one of Mn, Ce, Zr, or Mo is incorporated on a surface layer of the processed metal product. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processed metal product includes a surface layer formed by the solution heat treatment process or continuous annealing process and the surface treatment process, wherein the surface layer includes at least one of boehmite, bayerite, diaspore, or corundum, and wherein a thickness of the surface layer is from 10 nm to 500 nm. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a moisture content of the super-heated steam is less than or equal to 10%. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein subjecting the elongated metal substrate to the solution heat treatment process or continuous annealing process and subjecting the elongated metal substrate to the surface treatment process includes passing the elongated metal substrate into a furnace, and wherein the furnace includes one or more nozzles for spraying super-heated steam onto the elongated metal substrate. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the elongated metal substrate comprises an aluminum alloy sheet metal tube. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising preparing the aluminum alloy sheet metal tube by:
 roll-forming an aluminum alloy sheet metal into a tubular shape; and   welding edges of the tubular shape together to enclose the aluminum alloy sheet metal tube.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the aluminum alloy sheet metal tube has a circular or non-circular cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solution heat treatment process or continuous annealing process and the surface treatment process are performed using a combination of flame pyrolysis and induction heating. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solution heat treatment process or continuous annealing process and the surface treatment process are performed subsequent to welding the elongated metal substrate to form a metal tube. 
     
     
         14 . A metal product comprising:
 an aluminum alloy sheet metal substrate; and   a surface layer on the aluminum alloy sheet metal substrate, wherein the surface layer includes at least one of boehmite, bayerite, diaspore, and corundum, and wherein a thickness of the surface layer is from 10 nm to 500 nm.   
     
     
         15 . The metal product of  claim 14 , wherein the aluminum alloy sheet metal substrate includes one of a 2xxx aluminum alloy, a 6xxx aluminum alloy, or a 7xxx aluminum alloy. 
     
     
         16 . The metal product of  claim 14 , wherein the aluminum alloy sheet metal substrate comprises a solution heat treated aluminum alloy sheet metal substrate or a continuously annealed aluminum alloy sheet metal substrate. 
     
     
         17 . The metal product of  claim 14 , wherein the surface layer includes at least one of Mn, Ce, Zr, Mo, a silicate, a silane, or a sealant. 
     
     
         18 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The metal product of  claim 14 , wherein the metal product exhibits a bond durability of from 30 cycles to 65 cycles or more according to an ASTM D3762 standard test or a FLTM BV 101-07 standard test. 
     
     
         23 . A tubular metal product comprising:
 a roll-formed aluminum alloy sheet metal tube; and   a surface layer on the roll-formed aluminum alloy sheet metal tube, wherein the surface layer includes at least one of boehmite, bayerite, diaspore, and corundum, and wherein the surface layer is between 10 nm and 500 nm.   
     
     
         24 . The tubular metal product of  claim 23 , wherein the roll-formed aluminum alloy sheet metal tube includes one of a 2xxx aluminum alloy, a 6xxx aluminum alloy, or a 7xxx aluminum alloy. 
     
     
         25 - 29 . (canceled)