Aluminum sheet materials, and production methods and alloy compositions therefor with reduced energy consumption and co2 emissions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025154635-A1
Application number	US-202418906347-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 4, 2024
Priority date	Nov 14, 2023
Publication date	May 15, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of manufacturing aluminum sheet material includes melting secondary aluminum and adding primary aluminum and other alloying elements to the melt to achieve an alloy composition of from 2.5 wt % to 6.3 wt % Mg, from 0.6 wt % to 2.5 wt % Si, from 0.2 wt % to 0.4 wt % Fe, from 0.05 wt % to 0.2 wt % Cr, up to 0.6 wt % Mn, up to 0.1 wt % Cu, up to 0.1 wt % Zn, the balance being Al and unavoidable impurities, wherein the Si and Mg contents satisfy the relationship (Si wt. %>0.5*Mg wt. %-0.65 wt. %). The alloy is then continuously cast into an aluminum sheet. Aluminum sheet material made according to the process, and an aluminum alloy adapted for the process are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of manufacturing aluminum sheet material comprising the steps of:
melting secondary aluminum; adding primary aluminum and other alloying elements to the melt to achieve a composition consisting essentially of from 2.5 wt % to 6.3 wt % Mg, from 0.6 wt % to 2.5 wt % Si, from 0.2 wt % to 0.4 wt % Fe, from 0.05 wt % to 0.2 wt % Cr, up to 0.6 wt % Mn, up to 0.2 wt % Cu, up to 0.2 wt % Zn, the balance being Al and unavoidable impurities, wherein the Si and Mg contents satisfy the relationship (Si wt %>0.5*Mg wt %-0.65 wt %); and continuously casting the aluminum into aluminum sheet.

2 . The method of manufacturing aluminum sheet material according to claim 1 wherein the composition is from 2.5 wt % to 4.5% Mg and from 0.6 wt % to 1.6% Si.

3 . The method of manufacturing aluminum sheet according to claim 2 wherein there is from 0.20 wt % to 0.30 wt % Fe, 0.05 wt % to 0.15 wt % Cr, up to 0.4 wt % Mn, up to 0.1 wt % Cu, and up to 0.1 wt % Zn.

4 . The method of manufacturing aluminum sheet material according to claim 1 wherein the continuous casting is performed using a twin roll continuous caster.

5 . The method of manufacturing aluminum sheet material according to claim 1 wherein the continuous casting is performed using a twin belt continuous caster.

6 . The method of manufacturing aluminum sheet material according to claim 1 further comprising hot rolling the cast sheet, annealing the hot rolled sheet, cold rolling the annealed sheet, and annealing the cold rolled sheet.

7 . The method of manufacturing aluminum sheet material according to claim 1 further comprising homogenizing the cast sheet, cold rolling the homogenized sheet, and annealing the cold rolled sheet.

8 . An aluminum sheet material that has been continuously cast from an alloy consisting essentially of from 2.5 wt % to 6.3 wt % Mg, from 0.6 wt % to 2.5 wt % Si, from 0.2 wt % to 0.4 wt % Fe, from 0.05 wt % to 0.2 wt % Cr, up to 0.6 wt % Mn, up to 0.2 wt % Cu, up to 0.2 wt % Zn, the balance being Al and unavoidable impurities, wherein the Si and Mg contents satisfy the relationship (Si wt %>0.5*Mg wt %-0.65 wt %).

9 . The aluminum sheet material according to claim 8 wherein the composition of the alloy is from 2.5 wt % to 4.5% Mg and from 0.6 wt % to 1.6% Si.

10 . The aluminum sheet material according to claim 9 wherein the composition of the alloy is from 0.20 wt % to 0.30 wt % Fe, 0.05 wt % to 0.15 wt % Cr, up to 0.4 wt % Mn, up to 0.1 wt % Cu, and up to 0.1 wt % Zn.

11 . The aluminum sheet material according to claim 8 wherein the alloy was continuously cast using a twin roll continuous caster.

12 . The aluminum sheet material according to claim 8 wherein the alloy was continuous cast using a twin belt continuous caster.

13 . An aluminum alloy adapted for continuous casting, the aluminum alloy comprising from 2.5 wt % to 6.3 wt % Mg, from 0.6 wt % to 2.5 wt % Si, from 0.2 wt % to 0.4 wt % Fe, from 0.05 wt % to 0.2 wt % Cr, up to 0.6 wt % Mn, up to 0.2 wt % Cu, up to 0.2 wt % Zn, the balance being Al and unavoidable impurities, wherein the Si and Mg contents satisfy the relationship (Si wt %>0.5*Mg wt %-0.65 wt %).

14 . The aluminum alloy according to claim 13 wherein the composition of the aluminum alloy is from 2.5 wt % to 4.5% Mg and from 0.6 wt % to 1.6% Si.

15 . The aluminum alloy according to claim 14 wherein the composition of the aluminum alloy is from 0.20 wt % to 0.30 wt % Fe, 0.05 wt % to 0.15 wt % Cr, up to 0.4 wt % Mn, up to 0.1 wt % Cu, and up to 0.1 wt % Zn.

16 . The aluminum alloy according to claim 13 wherein the Si and Mg contents satisfy the relationship (Si wt %>0.5*Mg wt %-0.35 wt %).

17 . The aluminum alloy according to claim 13 wherein the aluminum alloy has a solidification range of less than 100° C.

18 . The aluminum alloy according to claim 17 wherein the aluminum alloy has a solidification range of less than 85° C.

19 . The aluminum alloy according to claim 13 consisting essentially of from 2.5 wt % to 4.5 wt % Mg, from 0.6 wt % to 1.6 wt % Si, from 0.2 wt % to 0.3 wt % Fe, from 0.05 wt % to 0.15 wt % Cr, up to 0.4 wt % Mn, up to 0.1 wt % Cu, up to 0.1 wt % Zn, the balance being Al and unavoidable impurities, wherein the Si and Mg contents satisfy the relationship (Si wt. %>0.5*Mg wt. %-0.35 wt. %).

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Zhan Henry
• Pang Jiachen
• Bugeaud Michael

Classifications

• C22B34/32

  Obtaining chromium · CPC title

• C22B19/30

  from metallic residues or scraps · CPC title

• C22B26/22

  Obtaining magnesium · CPC title

• C22B15/003

  Bath smelting or converting · CPC title

• C22B15/0056

  Scrap treating · CPC title