High strength, high formability, and low cost aluminum-lithium alloys

US10253404B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Kaiser Aluminum Fabricated Products, LLC · CA

Inventors

• Zhengdong Long · Spokane, US
• Philippe Lassince · Issoire, FR
• Florence Andrea Baldwin · Mead, US
• Robert A. Matuska · Heath, US
• Yansheng Liu · Spokane, US
• Roy Austin Nash · Spokane, US
• Jason Nicholas Scheuring · Spokane, US
• Gary D. Holmesmith · Medical Lake, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 26, 2014
• Grant date: Apr 9, 2019
• Expiry date: Dec 19, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C22F1/002
• WIPO field: Materials, metallurgy
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A high strength, high formability and low cost 2xxx aluminum-lithium alloy is disclosed. The aluminum-lithium alloy is capable of being formed into wrought products with a thickness of from about 0.01″ to about 0.249″. Aluminum-lithium alloys of the invention generally comprise from about 3.5 to 4.5 wt. % Cu, 0.8 to 1.6 wt. % Li, 0.6 to 1.5 wt. % Mg, from 0.03 to 0.6 wt. % of at least one grain structure control element selected from the group consisting of Zr, Sc, Cr, V, Hf, and other rare earth elements, and up to 1.0 wt. % Zn, up to 1.0 wt. % Mn, up to 0.12 wt. % Si, up to 0.15 wt. % Fe, up to 0.15 wt. % Ti, up to 0.05 wt. % of any other element, with the total of these other elements not exceeding 0.15 wt. %, and the balance being aluminum. Ag should not be more than 0.5 wt. % and is preferably not intentionally added. Mg is at least equal or higher than Zn in weight percent in the invented alloy. Further provided are methods for manufacturing wrought products including the aluminum-lithium alloys of the present invention.