Functionally gradient aluminum alloy products and methods of making

Abstract

The present disclosure generally provides aluminum alloy products having a functional gradient across at least one dimension of the aluminum alloy product. The disclosure also provides articles of manufacture made from such products, and methods of making such products, such as through casting and rolling. The disclosure also provides various end uses of such products, such as in automotive, aerospace, marine, defense, transportation, electronics, and industrial applications.

1 . A method of preparing a functionally gradient aluminum alloy product, comprising:
 casting an ingot in a mold or a molten liquid to a casting cavity to form a cast product, the cast product including an aluminum alloy, and the cast product comprising at least one peritectic forming element and at least one eutectic forming element, wherein the casting comprises:   a) forming primary grains enriched in the at least one peritectic forming element and depleted in the at least one eutectic element; and   b) controlling movement and accumulation of the primary grains;   homogenizing the cast product, wherein during homogenization, the primary grains are precipitated; and   rolling the homogenized cast product to form the functionally gradient aluminum alloy product.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy is a 2xxx series aluminum alloy, a 5xxx series aluminum alloy, a 6xxx series aluminum alloy, or a 7xxx series aluminum alloy. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one peritectic forming element is present in an amount of 0.2% by weight or less. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one eutectic forming element is present in an amount of greater than 0.2% by weight. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the casting an ingot in a mold comprises a direct chill casting process. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the casting a molten liquid to a casting cavity comprises a continuous casting process. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the continuous casting process includes casting with at least one of a twin-belt caster, a twin-roll caster, a block caster, or any other continuous caster. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the rolling comprises hot rolling. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the precipitated primary grains inhibit recrystallization during the rolling. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy product is functionally gradient across a thickness of the product. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy product is functionally gradient across a width of the product. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the primary grains have a largest dimension from 25 to 250 microns. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy comprises the at least one peritectic forming element and the at least one eutectic forming element. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one peritectic forming element, the at least one eutectic forming element, or combinations thereof are added to the ingot or liquid metal during casting. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming primary grains further includes forming at least one of solute elements, intermetallic particles, solute rich grains, reinforcement particles, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         16 . An aluminum alloy product comprising a functional gradient across at least one dimension, wherein the functional gradient comprises an unrecrystallized center and a recrystallized surface, and/or a reinforcement particle proportion variation from center to surface. 
     
     
         17 . The aluminum alloy product of  claim 16 , wherein the product comprises at least one peritectic forming element in the unrecrystallized center. 
     
     
         18 . The aluminum alloy product of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one peritectic forming element comprises at least one of Ti, Zr, V, Hf, Nb, Ta, Cr, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The aluminum alloy product of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one peritectic element is present in an amount of 0.2% by weight or less. 
     
     
         20 . The aluminum alloy product of  claim 16 , wherein the product comprises at least one eutectic forming element in the recrystallized surface. 
     
     
         21 - 27 . (canceled)