Aluminum alloy components having improved properties. In one form, the cast alloy component may include about 0.6 to about 14.5 wt % silicon, 0 to about 0.7 wt % iron, about 1.8 about 4.3 wt % copper, 0 to about 1.22 wt % manganese, about 0.2 to about 0.5 wt % magnesium, 0 to about 1.2 wt % zinc, 0 to about 3.25 wt % nickel, 0 to about 0.3 wt % chromium, 0 to about 0.5 wt % tin, about 0.0001 to about 0.4 wt % titanium, about 0.002 to about 0.07 wt % boron, about 0.001 to about 0.07 wt % zirconium, about 0.001 to about 0.14 wt % vanadium, 0 to about 0.67 wt % lanthanum, and the balance predominantly aluminum plus any remainders. Further, the weight ratio of Mn/Fe is between about 0.5 and about 3.5. Methods of making cast aluminum parts are also described.

Provided herein are new aluminum alloy materials which are useful in replacing copper in a heat exchanger. The aluminum alloy materials are also useful in manufacturing components of heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) systems for indoor and outdoor units. The alloys are well-suited for tubing in a heat exchanger. The alloys display high strength and good corrosion resistance. Also provided herein are methods for making the aluminum alloy materials.

An aluminum alloy material is provided. The aluminum alloy material has excellent bonding durability and is not susceptible to decrease in the bonding strength even if exposed to a high-temperature humid environment. A bonded body, a member for automobiles, and a method for producing the aluminum alloy material are also provided. In the method for producing the aluminum alloy material, the etching amount is controlled to be less than 700 nm when a first film composed of an oxide film is formed on the surface of an aluminum alloy base; and after the formation of the first film by a treatment using an aqueous solution containing a silicate salt, which is the final stage of the substantial film formation, a second film having a siloxane bond is formed by performing a silane coupling treatment.

An aluminum alloy material is provided. The aluminum alloy material has excellent bonding durability and is not susceptible to decrease in the bonding strength even if exposed to a high-temperature humid environment. A bonded body, a member for automobiles, and a method for producing the aluminum alloy material are also provided. In the method for producing the aluminum alloy material, the etching amount is controlled to be less than 700 nm when a first film composed of an oxide film is formed on the surface of an aluminum alloy base; and after the formation of the first film by a treatment using an aqueous solution containing a silicate salt, which is the final stage of the substantial film formation, a second film having a siloxane bond is formed by performing a silane coupling treatment.

The invention relates to a product made of an aluminium-based alloy comprising, by wt. %, Cu: 2.4-3.2; Li: 1.6-2.3; Mg: 0.3-0.9; Mn: 0.2-0.6; Zr: 0.12-0.18; such that Zr≥−0.06 *Li+0.242; Zn: <1.0; Ag: <0.15; Fe+Si≤0.20; optionally, at least one element selected from Ti, Sc, Cr, Hf and V, the content of the element, if selected, being: Ti: 0.01-0.1; Sc: 0.01-0.15; Cr: 0.01-0.3; Hf: 0.01-0.5; V: 0.01-0.3; other elements ≤0.05 each and ≤0.15 in total; the remainder being aluminium. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing an as-cast aluminum alloy product according to the invention, comprising the following steps: preparing a liquid metal bath; casting an as-cast shape from said liquid metal bath; and solidifying the as-cast shape into a billet, a rolling plate or a forging blank; characterised in that the casting is performed without adding any grain refiner, or by adding a refiner comprising (i) Ti and (ii) B or C, such that the content of B from the refiner is less than 45 ppm, and that of C is less than 6 ppm, and/or characterised in that the casting is carried out, for an as-cast shape of thickness E or with a diameter D greater than 150 mm, at a casting rate v (mm/min) greater than 30 for a plate-type as-cast shape or 9000/D for a billet-type as-cast shape.

The invention relates to a product made of an aluminium-based alloy comprising, by wt. %, Cu: 2.4-3.2; Li: 1.6-2.3; Mg: 0.3-0.9; Mn: 0.2-0.6; Zr: 0.12-0.18; such that Zr≥−0.06 *Li+0.242; Zn: <1.0; Ag: <0.15; Fe+Si≤0.20; optionally, at least one element selected from Ti, Sc, Cr, Hf and V, the content of the element, if selected, being: Ti: 0.01-0.1; Sc: 0.01-0.15; Cr: 0.01-0.3; Hf: 0.01-0.5; V: 0.01-0.3; other elements ≤0.05 each and ≤0.15 in total; the remainder being aluminium. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing an as-cast aluminum alloy product according to the invention, comprising the following steps: preparing a liquid metal bath; casting an as-cast shape from said liquid metal bath; and solidifying the as-cast shape into a billet, a rolling plate or a forging blank; characterised in that the casting is performed without adding any grain refiner, or by adding a refiner comprising (i) Ti and (ii) B or C, such that the content of B from the refiner is less than 45 ppm, and that of C is less than 6 ppm, and/or characterised in that the casting is carried out, for an as-cast shape of thickness E or with a diameter D greater than 150 mm, at a casting rate v (mm/min) greater than 30 for a plate-type as-cast shape or 9000/D for a billet-type as-cast shape.

The invention relates to an aluminum alloy strip with improved surface optics, which is fabricated via hot and/or cold rolling, and consists of a type AA 3xxx, AA 5xxx, AA 6xxx or AA 8xxx aluminum alloy. The object of proposing an aluminum alloy strip that is suitable for attractive and precious surface optics despite the elevated percentage of alloy constituents is achieved in that, after degreasing, the finish-rolled aluminum alloy strip exhibits an increase in the luminance value L*(ΔL) in relation to the rolled-greasy state of more than 5 while measuring the color of the surface in the CIE L*a*b* color space using a standard illuminant D65 and a normal observation angle of 10°, excluding direct reflection in 45°/0° geometry.

The invention relates to an aluminum alloy strip with improved surface optics, which is fabricated via hot and/or cold rolling, and consists of a type AA 3xxx, AA 5xxx, AA 6xxx or AA 8xxx aluminum alloy. The object of proposing an aluminum alloy strip that is suitable for attractive and precious surface optics despite the elevated percentage of alloy constituents is achieved in that, after degreasing, the finish-rolled aluminum alloy strip exhibits an increase in the luminance value L*(ΔL) in relation to the rolled-greasy state of more than 5 while measuring the color of the surface in the CIE L*a*b* color space using a standard illuminant D65 and a normal observation angle of 10°, excluding direct reflection in 45°/0° geometry.

A method of forming a crack-free aluminum alloy structure using additive manufacturing is presented. A powder bed of precursor aluminum alloy powder is heated. The crack-free aluminum alloy structure is formed within a laser powder bed fusion system encompassing the powder bed during heating.

A method of forming a crack-free aluminum alloy structure using additive manufacturing is presented. A powder bed of precursor aluminum alloy powder is heated. The crack-free aluminum alloy structure is formed within a laser powder bed fusion system encompassing the powder bed during heating.