Aluminum alloy suitable for the high speed production of aluminum bottle and the process of manufacturing thereof

Abstract

The invention is related to compositions and methods comprising a new aluminum alloy system useful for aluminum bottle applications. In one aspect, the invention further relates to a method of producing highly shaped aluminum products, such as bottles or cans, comprising the aluminum alloy.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An aluminum alloy comprising:
 about 0.15-0.50 wt. % Si,   about 0.35-0.65 wt. % Fe,   about 0.05-0.30 wt. % Cu,   about 0.60-1.10 wt. % Mn,   about 0.80-1.30 wt. % Mg,   about 0.000-0.080 wt. % Cr,   about 0.000-0.500 wt. % Zn,   about 0.000-0.080 wt. % Ti,   up to 0.15 wt. % impurities, with the remainder Al.   
     
     
         2 . The alloy of  claim 1  comprising:
 about 0.20-0.40 wt. % Si, 
 about 0.40-0.60 wt. % Fe, 
 about 0.08-0.20 wt. % Cu, 
 about 0.70-1.00 wt. % Mn, 
 about 0.85-1.22 wt. % Mg, 
 about 0.000-0.070 wt. % Cr, 
 about 0.000-0.400 wt. % Zn, 
 about 0.000-0.070 wt. % Ti, 
 up to 0.15 wt. % impurities, with the remainder Al. 
 
     
     
         3 . The alloy of  claim 2  comprising:
 about 0.22-0.38 wt. % Si, 
 about 0.42-0.58 wt. % Fe, 
 about 0.10-0.18 wt. % Cu, 
 about 0.75-0.98 wt. % Mn, 
 about 0.90-1.15 wt. % Mg, 
 about 0.000-0.060 wt. % Cr, 
 about 0.000-0.300 wt. % Zn, 
 about 0.000-0.060 wt. % Ti, 
 up to 0.15 wt. % impurities, with the remainder Al. 
 
     
     
         4 . The alloy of  claim 3  comprising:
 about 0.27-0.33 wt. % Si, 
 about 0.46-0.54 wt. % Fe, 
 about 0.11-0.15 wt. % Cu, 
 about 0.80-0.94 wt. % Mn, 
 about 0.93-1.07 wt. % Mg, 
 about 0.000-0.050 wt. % Cr, 
 about 0.000-0.250 wt. % Zn, 
 about 0.000-0.050 wt. % Ti, 
 up to about 0.15 wt. % impurities, with the remainder as Al. 
 
     
     
         5 . The alloy of  claim 3  comprising:
 about 0.25-0.35 wt. % Si, 
 about 0.44-0.56 wt. % Fe, 
 about 0.09-0.160 wt. % Cu, 
 about 0.78-0.94 wt. % Mn, 
 about 0.90-1.1 wt. % Mg, 
 about 0.000-0.050 wt. % Cr, 
 about 0.000-0.250 wt. % Zn, 
 about 0.000-0.050 wt. % Ti, 
 up to 0.15 wt. % impurities, with the remainder Al. 
 
     
     
         6 . An aluminum alloy comprising:
 about 0.12-0.28 wt. % Si,   about 0.32-0.52 wt. % Fe,   about 0.09-0.16 wt. % Cu,   about 0.78-0.96 wt. % Mn,   about 0.90-1.10 wt. % Mg,   about 0.000-0.050 wt. % Cr,   about 0.000-0.250 wt. % Zn,   about 0.000-0.050 wt. % Ti,   up to 0.15 wt. % impurities, with the remainder Al.   
     
     
         7 . A shaped aluminum bottle comprising the composition of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         8 . A shaped aluminum bottle comprising the composition of  claim 6 . 
     
     
         9 . A method of making the aluminum alloy of  claim 1  comprising:
 direct chill casting an aluminum ingot; 
 homogenizing the ingot; 
 hot rolling the homogenized ingot to form a hot rolled product; 
 cold rolling the hot rolled product in a first cold rolling step to form a first cold rolled product, wherein the first cold rolling step produces an about 60-90% thickness reduction; and 
 stabilization annealing of the second cold rolling product, wherein the stabilization annealing is at a metal temperature from about 100-300° C. for about 0.5-4 hrs. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the stabilization annealing is at a metal temperature from about 120-250° C. for about 1-2 hrs. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the cold rolling step is a first cold rolling step, the method further comprising cold rolling the first cold rolled product in a second cold rolling step to form a second cold rolled product, wherein the second cold rolling produces an about 15-30% thickness reduction. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 prior to the second cold rolling step, recrystallization annealing the first cold rolled product, wherein the recrystallization annealing is at a metal temperature from about 290-500° C. for about 0.5-4 hrs.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the recrystallization annealing is at a metal temperature from about 300-450° C. for about 1-2 hrs. 
     
     
         14 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 1  comprising a recycled content of at least 60 wt. % 
     
     
         15 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 14  comprising a recycled content of at least 75 wt. %. 
     
     
         16 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 15  comprising a recycled content of at least 85 wt. %. 
     
     
         17 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 6  comprising a recycled content of at least 60 wt. % 
     
     
         18 . An aluminum alloy made by the method of  claim 9 . 
     
     
         19 . A shaped aluminum bottle comprising the aluminum alloy of  claim 18 .