Provided herein are new aluminum alloys comprising Ca, Mg and/or Zn and new coated aluminum alloys comprising surface layers (e.g., coatings) comprising Ca, Mn, Zn, and/or Ni that can be used in aluminum alloy products, such as clad layers. Also provided are methods of making these aluminum alloys, coated aluminum alloys, and clad layers, as well as clad products. These alloys, coated alloys, clad layers, and products possess a combination of strength and other key attributes, such as corrosion resistance, formability, and applicability of paint line pretreatments. The materials can be used in a variety of applications, including automotive, transportation, and electronics applications.

Provided herein are new aluminum alloys comprising Ca, Mg and/or Zn and new coated aluminum alloys comprising surface layers (e.g., coatings) comprising Ca, Mn, Zn, and/or Ni that can be used in aluminum alloy products, such as clad layers. Also provided are methods of making these aluminum alloys, coated aluminum alloys, and clad layers, as well as clad products. These alloys, coated alloys, clad layers, and products possess a combination of strength and other key attributes, such as corrosion resistance, formability, and applicability of paint line pretreatments. The materials can be used in a variety of applications, including automotive, transportation, and electronics applications.

The present invention provides a process for suppressing abnormal grain growth in friction stir welded aluminum alloys by inserting an intermediate annealing treatment (“IAT”) after the welding step on the article. The IAT may be followed by a solution heat treatment (SHT) on the article under effectively high solution heat treatment conditions. In at least some embodiments, a deformation step is conducted on the article under effective spin-forming deformation conditions or under effective superplastic deformation conditions. The invention further provides a welded article having suppressed abnormal grain growth, prepared by the process above. Preferably the article is characterized with greater than about 90% reduction in area fraction abnormal grain growth in any friction-stir-welded nugget.

The present invention provides a process for suppressing abnormal grain growth in friction stir welded aluminum alloys by inserting an intermediate annealing treatment (“IAT”) after the welding step on the article. The IAT may be followed by a solution heat treatment (SHT) on the article under effectively high solution heat treatment conditions. In at least some embodiments, a deformation step is conducted on the article under effective spin-forming deformation conditions or under effective superplastic deformation conditions. The invention further provides a welded article having suppressed abnormal grain growth, prepared by the process above. Preferably the article is characterized with greater than about 90% reduction in area fraction abnormal grain growth in any friction-stir-welded nugget.

Some variations provide an aluminum alloy feedstock for additive manufacturing, the aluminum alloy feedstock comprising from 79.8 wt % to 88.3 wt % aluminum; from 1.1 wt % to 2.1 wt % copper; from 3.0 wt % to 4.6 wt % magnesium; from 7.1 wt % to 9.0 wt % zinc; and from 0.5 wt % to 2.8 wt % zirconium as a grain-refiner element. The aluminum alloy feedstock may be in the form of an ingot powder. In some variations, the aluminum alloy feedstock comprises from 81.3 wt % to about 87.8 wt % aluminum; from 1.2 wt % to 2.0 wt % copper; from 3.2 wt % to 4.4 wt % magnesium; from 7.3 wt % to 8.7 wt % zinc; and from 0.5 wt % to 2.8 wt % zirconium.

Some variations provide an aluminum alloy feedstock for additive manufacturing, the aluminum alloy feedstock comprising from 79.8 wt % to 88.3 wt % aluminum; from 1.1 wt % to 2.1 wt % copper; from 3.0 wt % to 4.6 wt % magnesium; from 7.1 wt % to 9.0 wt % zinc; and from 0.5 wt % to 2.8 wt % zirconium as a grain-refiner element. The aluminum alloy feedstock may be in the form of an ingot powder. In some variations, the aluminum alloy feedstock comprises from 81.3 wt % to about 87.8 wt % aluminum; from 1.2 wt % to 2.0 wt % copper; from 3.2 wt % to 4.4 wt % magnesium; from 7.3 wt % to 8.7 wt % zinc; and from 0.5 wt % to 2.8 wt % zirconium.

An aluminum-alloy-clad plate in which a plurality of aluminum alloy layers are layered and diffusion heat treatment is performed thereon, wherein aluminum alloy layers having a specific composition are layered so as to each have a different content Mg or Zn, the structure of the aluminum alloy clad plate after diffusion heat treatment thereof has a minute crystal grain diameter and a predetermined amount of a specific Mg and Zn inter-diffusion region in which Mg and Zn of layered aluminum alloy layers are diffused with each other, and increased strength and high moldability are obtained at the same time.

An aluminum-alloy-clad plate in which a plurality of aluminum alloy layers are layered and diffusion heat treatment is performed thereon, wherein aluminum alloy layers having a specific composition are layered so as to each have a different content Mg or Zn, the structure of the aluminum alloy clad plate after diffusion heat treatment thereof has a minute crystal grain diameter and a predetermined amount of a specific Mg and Zn inter-diffusion region in which Mg and Zn of layered aluminum alloy layers are diffused with each other, and increased strength and high moldability are obtained at the same time.

5000 series aluminum wrought alloys with high strength, high formability, excellent corrosion resistance, and friction-stir weldability, and methods of making those alloys.

A method to reduce the total anode mass of a cathodic protection system by reducing or eliminating the total cathode area is disclosed, the system comprising: a metallic first-layer coating which being anodic to the component or substrate to be protected, bonded to the component or substrate and electrically conductive. A sacrificial anode in the form of a metallic second-layer coating is distributed over the first-layer coating. The second layer coating has an open circuit potential that is equal to the first-layer coating or being anodic to the first-layer coating and to the substrate, the second-layer coating electrically conductive, bonded to the first-layer coating and exposed to the surrounding environment.