Aluminum-zinc alloys having ancillary additions of lithium

Abstract

An aluminum-copper-zinc alloy having ancillary additions of lithium. The alloy composition includes from about 5 to 13 wt % zinc and from about 0.01 to 1.0 wt % lithium.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An aluminum alloy comprising from about 5 to 13 wt % zinc and from about 0.10 to 0.99 wt % lithium.  
     
     
         2 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 1 , wherein said lithium content is from about 0.10 to 0.75 wt %.  
     
     
         3 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 2 , wherein said lithium content is from about 0.15 to 0.50 wt %.  
     
     
         4 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 1 , wherein said lithium content is about 0.36 wt %.  
     
     
         5 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 1 , wherein said zinc content is from about 5.5 to 12 wt %.  
     
     
         6 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 5 , wherein said zinc content is from about 6 to 11 wt %.  
     
     
         7 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 1 , including a dispersoid forming alloying element selected from the group consisting of chromium, vanadium, titanium and zirconium and mixtures thereof in the amount of from about 0.0 to 0.6 wt %.  
     
     
         8 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 1 , including a dispersoid forming alloying element selected from the group consisting of manganese, nickel, iron, hafnium, scandium and mixtures thereof in the amount of from about 0.0 to 1.0 wt %.  
     
     
         9 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 1  that is a plate.  
     
     
         10 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 1  that is an extrusion.  
     
     
         11 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 1  that is a forged product.  
     
     
         12 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 1  that is an aerospace structural component selected from the group consisting of a stringer, a wing spar and an upper wing section.  
     
     
         13 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 1  that is a recreational product selected from the group consisting of a baseball bat, a softball bat, a shaft for an arrow, a golf club shaft and tubing for bicycles.  
     
     
         14 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 1  having a yield strength (L) above about 80 ksi.  
     
     
         15 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 14  having a yield strength (L) above about 85 ksi.  
     
     
         16 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 1  having a fracture toughness of above about 25 ksi {square root}{square root over (inch)}.  
     
     
         17 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 16  having a fracture toughness of above about 33 ksi {square root}{square root over (inch)}.  
     
     
         18 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 17  having a fracture toughness of above about 35 ksi {square root}{square root over (inch)}.  
     
     
         19 . An aluminum alloy comprising from about 5 to 13 wt % zinc, from about 1 to 3 wt % copper, from about 1 to 6 wt % magnesium and from about 0.10 to 0.99 wt % lithium.  
     
     
         20 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 19 , wherein said lithium content is from about 0.10 to 0.75 wt %.  
     
     
         21 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 20 , wherein said lithium content is from about 0.15 to 0.50 wt %.  
     
     
         22 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 16 , wherein said lithium content is about 0.36 wt %.  
     
     
         23 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 19 , wherein said zinc content is from about 5.5 to 12 wt %.  
     
     
         24 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 23 , wherein said zinc content is from about 6 to 11 wt %.  
     
     
         25 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 24 , wherein said copper content is from about 1.5 to 3.0 wt %.  
     
     
         26 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 25 , wherein said copper content is from about 1.5 to 2.5 wt %.  
     
     
         27 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 19 , wherein said magnesium content is from about 1.5 to 4 wt %.  
     
     
         28 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 27 , including said magnesium content is from about 1.5 to 3.5 wt %.  
     
     
         29 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 19 , including a dispersoid forming alloying element selected from the group consisting of chromium, vanadium, titanium and zirconium and mixtures thereof in the amount of from about 0.0 to 0.6 wt %.  
     
     
         30 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 19 , including a dispersoid forming alloying element selected from the group consisting of manganese, nickel, iron, hafnium, scandium and mixtures thereof in the amount of from about 0.0 to 1.0 wt %.  
     
     
         31 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 19  that is a plate.  
     
     
         32 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 19  that is an extrusion.  
     
     
         33 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 19  that is a forged product.  
     
     
         34 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 19  that is an aerospace structural component selected from the group consisting of a stringer, a wing spar and an upper wing section.  
     
     
         35 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 19  that is a recreational product selected from the group consisting of a baseball bat, a softball bat, a shaft for an arrow, a golf club shaft and tubing for bicycles.  
     
     
         36 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 19  having a yield strength (L) above about 80 ksi.  
     
     
         37 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 36  having a yield strength (L) above about 85 ksi.  
     
     
         38 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 19  having a fracture toughness of above about 25 ksi {square root}{square root over (inch)}.  
     
     
         39 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 38  having a fracture toughness of above about 33 ksi {square root}{square root over (inch)}.  
     
     
         40 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 39  having a fracture toughness of above about 35 ksi {square root}{square root over (inch)}.