Method for producing flat products made of aluminum alloys

Abstract

A method of producing flat products in aluminum alloys comprising: A) cold rolling to a hardened condition: B) applying a short-time ion beam surface treatment; and C) repeating steps A and B until a flat rolled product of a specified thickness is obtained. The surface treatment is preferably performed using an ion beam of atomic mass A≧10 amu having a power of between about 20-40 keV and an ion current density of between about 0.1-1 mA/cm 2 for from about 5 to about 200 seconds. In the process of irradiation flat products may be continuously and uniformly displaced with respect to the ion beam.

1 ) In a process of producing aluminum alloy sheet including a plurality of cold rolling steps and including an intermediate thermal anneal between cold rolling steps when the aluminum alloy sheet becomes sufficiently work hardened as to inhibit further cold rolling, the improvement comprising substituting an ion beam irradiation of the aluminum alloy sheet for the intermediate thermal anneals. 
   
   
       2 ) The method of  claim 1  wherein the ion beam comprises a beam of ions of atomic weight of A≧10 amu having an energy between about 20 and 40 KeV and a current density of between about 0.1 and 1 mA/cm 2 . 
   
   
       3 ) The method of  claim 2  wherein the ion beam irradiation is carried out for a period of from about 5 to about 200 seconds. 
   
   
       4 ) The method of  claim 3  wherein the cold rolled aluminum sheet is continuously and uniformly displaced with respect to the ion beam during ion beam irradiation. 
   
   
       5 ) The method of  claims 1  wherein the cold rolled aluminum alloy sheet has two opposing surfaces and the ion beam irradiation is performed simultaneously on both sides of the flat product. 
   
   
       6 ) The method of  claim 1  wherein the aluminum alloy sheet comprises an Al—Mg alloy containing from about 5.8 and 6.8 wt % Mg. 
   
   
       7 ) The method of  claim 1  wherein the aluminum alloy sheet comprises an Al—Li—Cu—Mg alloy which contains between about 1.8 and 2.1 wt % of lithium. 
   
   
       8 ) The method of  claim 1  wherein the aluminum alloy sheet comprises an Al—Cu—Mg alloy that includes Mn additives. 
   
   
       9 ) The method of  claim 1  wherein the ion beam comprises a beam of Ar +  ions. 
   
   
       10 ) The method of  claim 2  wherein the ion beam comprises a beam of Ar +  ions. 
   
   
       11 ) The method of  claim 3  wherein the ion beam comprises a beam of Ar +  ions.