Corrosion-resistant aluminum alloy

Abstract

An electronics module housing is provided. The electronics module housing includes a high-pressure die cast integrated power electronics (IPE) housing component having at least one coating-free mating surface. The integrated power electronics housing component is formed from an aluminum alloy including silicon between 6.5 wt. % and 7.5 wt. %, copper between 0.05 wt. % and 0.30 wt. %, magnesium between 0.1 wt. % and 0.6 wt. %, iron between 0.20 wt. % and 1.50 wt. %, chromium more than 0 wt. % and less than 0.30 wt. %, and manganese more than 0 wt. % and than 0.15 wt. %.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electronics module housing, comprising:
 a high-pressure die cast integrated power electronics (IPE) housing component having at least one coating-free mating surface, wherein the integrated power electronics housing component is formed from an aluminum alloy including:
 silicon between 6.5 wt. % and 7.5 wt. %; 
 copper between 0.05 wt. % and 0.30 wt. %; 
 magnesium between 0.1 wt. % and 0.6 wt. %; 
 iron between 0.20 wt. % and 1.50 wt. %; 
 chromium more than 0 wt. % and less than 0.30 wt. %; and 
 manganese more than 0 wt. % and less than 0.15 wt. %. 
   
     
     
         2 . The electronics module housing of  claim 1 , wherein a corrosion rate (K) of the aluminum alloy is less than or equal to 0.003. 
     
     
         3 . The electronics module housing of  claim 2 , wherein the corrosion rate (K) is defined as K=−0.0251+0.0064 (Fe wt. %)+0.0844 (Cu wt. %)+0.1041 (Cr wt. %). 
     
     
         4 . The electronics module housing of  claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy satisfies the equation 2.7 (Cr wt. %)+1.44 (Mn wt. %)+(Fe wt. %) is greater than 0.8%. 
     
     
         5 . The electronics module housing of  claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy includes:
 chromium between 0.1 wt. % and 0.15 wt. %;   copper between 0.05 wt. % and 0.1 wt. %; and   iron between 0.2 wt. % and 0.60 wt. %.   
     
     
         6 . The electronics module housing of  claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy includes:
 chromium between 0.1 wt. % and 0.15 wt. %;   manganese between 0.05 wt. % and 0.15 wt. %;   copper between 0.05 wt. % and 0.1 wt. %; and   iron between 0.2 wt. % and 0.60 wt. %.   
     
     
         7 . The electronics module housing of  claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy includes:
 chromium between 0.1 wt. % and 0.15 wt. %;   copper between 0.05 wt. % and 0.1 wt. %;   iron between 0.25 wt. % and 0.60 wt. %; and   magnesium between 0.5 wt. % and 0.6 wt. %.   
     
     
         8 . The electronics module housing of  claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy includes:
 chromium between 0.05 wt. % and 0.10 wt. %;   copper between 0.1 wt. % and 0.15 wt. %; and   iron between 0.25 wt. % and 0.65 wt. %.   
     
     
         9 . The electronics module housing of  claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy includes:
 chromium between 0.05 wt. % and 0.10 wt. %;   manganese between 0.05 wt. % and 0.15 wt. %;   copper between 0.1 wt. % and 0.15 wt. %; and   iron between 0.25 wt. % and 0.65 wt. %.   
     
     
         10 . The electronics module housing of  claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy includes:
 chromium between 0.05 wt. % and 0.10 wt. %;   copper between 0.1 wt. % and 0.15 wt. %;   iron between 0.25 wt. % and 0.65 wt. %; and   magnesium between 0.5 wt. % and 0.6 wt. %.   
     
     
         11 . The electronics module housing of  claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy includes copper greater than 0.05 wt. % and iron greater than 0.2 wt. %. 
     
     
         12 . A method for forming a high-pressure die cast integrated power electronics (IPE) housing component, comprising:
 forming an aluminum alloy in a molten state, the aluminum alloy including:
 silicon more than between 6.5 wt. % and 7.5 wt. %; 
 copper between 0.05 wt. % and 0.30 wt. %; 
 magnesium between 0.1 wt. % and 0.6 wt. %; 
 iron between 0.20 wt. % and 1.50 wt. %; 
 chromium more than 0 wt. % and less than 0.30 wt. %; and 
 manganese more than 0 wt. % and less than 0.15 wt. %; and 
   casting the molten aluminum alloy by a high pressure die cast process to form a cast structure, the cast structure being an individual IPE housing component, wherein each IPE housing component has at least one coating-free mating surface.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein a corrosion rate (K) of the aluminum alloy is less than or equal to 0.003. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the corrosion rate (K) is defined as K=−0.0251+0.0064 (Fe wt. %)+0.0844 (Cu wt. %)+0.1041 (Cr wt. %). 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the aluminum alloy includes copper greater than 0.05 wt. % and iron greater than 0.2 wt. %. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the aluminum alloy includes:
 chromium between 0.1 wt. % and 0.15 wt. %;   copper between 0.05 wt. % and 0.1 wt. %; and   iron between 0.2 wt. % and 0.60 wt. %.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the aluminum alloy includes:
 chromium between 0.1 wt. % and 0.15 wt. %;   manganese between 0.05 wt. % and 0.15 wt. %;   copper between 0.05 wt. % and 0.1 wt. %; and   iron between 0.2 wt. % and 0.60 wt. %.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the aluminum alloy includes:
 chromium between 0.1 wt. % and 0.15 wt. %;   copper between 0.05 wt. % and 0.1 wt. %;   iron between 0.25 wt. % and 0.60 wt. %; and   magnesium between 0.5 wt. % and 0.6 wt. %.   
     
     
         19 . An electronics module housing, comprising:
 a high-pressure die cast integrated power electronics (IPE) housing component having at least one coating-free mating surface, wherein the integrated power electronics housing component is formed from an aluminum alloy including:
 silicon between 6.5 wt. % and 7.5 wt. %; 
 copper between 0.05 wt. % and 0.30 wt. %; 
 magnesium between 0.1 wt. % and 0.6 wt. %; 
 iron between 0.20 wt. % and 1.50 wt. %; 
 chromium more than 0 wt. % and less than 0.30 wt. %; and 
 manganese more than 0 wt. % and less than 0. 15 wt. %, 
   wherein a corrosion rate (K) of the aluminum alloy is less than or equal to 0.003, wherein K=−0.0251+0.0064 (Fe wt. %)+0.0844 (Cu wt. %)+0.1041 (Cr wt. %), and wherein the aluminum alloy satisfies the equation 2.7 (Cr wt. %)+1.44 (Mn wt. %)+(Fe wt. %) is greater than 0.8%.   
     
     
         20 . The electronics module housing of  claim 19 , wherein the IPE housing component has a tensile yield strength between 160 MPa and 180 MPa and a tensile elongation-to-fracture between 3%-6% in an as-cast state.