Aluminum alloy article having low texture and methods of making the same

Abstract

Provided herein are aluminum alloys having a uniform surface recrystallization texture. The uniform surface recrystallization texture can be provided by methods described herein. Also provided herein are methods to produce aluminum alloys having a uniform surface recrystallization texture, which may include homogenizing and hot rolling an aluminum cast product to a final gauge at a temperature greater than or about a recrystallization temperature.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for making an aluminum alloy rolled article, comprising:
 providing a molten aluminum alloy composition;   continuously casting the molten aluminum alloy composition to form an aluminum alloy cast product;   homogenizing the aluminum alloy cast product to form a homogenized aluminum alloy cast product; and   rolling the homogenized aluminum alloy cast product to form an aluminum alloy rolled article having a thickness of between 0.01 mm and 7 mm, wherein the rolling is carried out at a temperature of between 300° C. and 550° C.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein homogenizing the aluminum alloy cast product includes controlling a homogenization temperature of the aluminum alloy cast product after exiting from a continuous caster, wherein the homogenization temperature is between 400° C. and 600° C. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy cast product is not cooled to below 400° C. before the homogenizing. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein rolling the homogenized aluminum alloy cast product includes controlling a rolling temperature during rolling, wherein a starting temperature of the rolling is between 400° C. and 550° C., and wherein an exit temperature of the rolling is between 300° C. and 500° C. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein rolling the homogenized aluminum alloy cast product includes maintaining the temperature at or above a recrystallization temperature of the homogenized aluminum alloy cast product. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, following the rolling, subjecting the aluminum alloy rolled article to quenching. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method does not comprise direct chill casting. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method does not comprise cold rolling the aluminum alloy rolled article to a final thickness. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy rolled article comprises at least a first surface portion having volume fractions of a cube texture component, a goss texture component, a brass texture component, an S texture component, and a copper texture component that are between 0% and 1%. 
     
     
         10 . An aluminum alloy rolled article, which is formed by a process comprising:
 providing a molten aluminum alloy composition;   continuously casting the molten aluminum alloy composition to form an aluminum alloy cast product;   homogenizing the aluminum alloy cast product to form a homogenized aluminum alloy cast product; and   rolling the homogenized aluminum alloy cast product to form the aluminum alloy rolled article having a thickness of between 0.01 mm and 7 mm, wherein the rolling is carried out at a temperature of between 300° C. and 550° C.   
     
     
         11 . The aluminum alloy rolled article of  claim 10 , wherein homogenizing the aluminum alloy cast product includes controlling a homogenization temperature of the aluminum alloy cast product after exiting from a continuous caster, wherein the homogenization temperature is between 400° C. and 600° C. 
     
     
         12 . The aluminum alloy rolled article of  claim 10 , wherein the aluminum alloy cast product is not cooled to below 400° C. before the homogenizing. 
     
     
         13 . The aluminum alloy rolled article of  claim 10 , wherein rolling the homogenized aluminum alloy cast product includes controlling a rolling temperature during rolling, wherein a starting temperature of the rolling is between 400° C. and 550° C., and wherein an exit temperature of the rolling is between 300° C. and 500° C. 
     
     
         14 . The aluminum alloy rolled article of  claim 10 , wherein rolling the homogenized aluminum alloy cast product includes maintaining the temperature at or above a recrystallization temperature of the homogenized aluminum alloy cast product. 
     
     
         15 . The aluminum alloy rolled article of  claim 10 , wherein the process further comprises, following the rolling, subjecting the aluminum alloy rolled article to quenching. 
     
     
         16 . The aluminum alloy rolled article of  claim 10 , wherein the process does not comprise direct chill casting. 
     
     
         17 . The aluminum alloy rolled article of  claim 10 , wherein the process does not comprise cold rolling the aluminum alloy rolled article to a final thickness. 
     
     
         18 . The aluminum alloy rolled article of  claim 10 , comprising at least a first surface portion having volume fractions of a cube texture component, a goss texture component, a brass texture component, an S texture component, and a copper texture component that are between 0% and 1%. 
     
     
         19 . The aluminum alloy rolled article of  claim 18 , wherein the first surface portion has an isotropic texture. 
     
     
         20 . The aluminum alloy rolled article of  claim 18 , wherein the first surface portion exhibits substantially uniform thinning during forming across the first surface portion in any direction relative to a rolling direction.