Abstract: New methods of making cold formed, extruded aluminum lithium alloys, and unrecrystallized products made therefrom are disclosed. A method may include one or more of heating an unrecrystallized extruded aluminum-lithium product to a treatment temperature, cooling the unrecrystallized extruded aluminum-lithium product from the treatment temperature to a post-treatment temperature, and cold forming the unrecrystallized extruded aluminum-lithium product into a second product form. Due to the unique processing conditions of the method, the second product form may wholly or partially retain the unrecrystallized microstructure.

Abstract: Improved aluminum-copper-lithium alloys are disclosed. The alloys may include 3.4-4.2 wt. % Cu, 0.9-1.4 wt. % Li, 0.3-0.7 wt. % Ag, 0.1-0.6 wt. % Mg, 0.2-0.8 wt. % Zn, 0.1-0.6 wt. % Mn, and 0.01-0.6 wt. % of at least one grain structure control element, the balance being aluminum and incidental elements and impurities. The alloys achieve an improved combination of properties over prior art alloys.

Abstract: Aluminum alloy products about 4 inches thick or less that possesses the ability to achieve, when solution heat treated, quenched, and artificially aged, and in parts made from the products, an improved combination of strength, fracture toughness and corrosion resistance, the alloy consisting essentially of: about 6.8 to about 8.5 wt. % Zn, about 1.5 to about 2.00 wt. % Mg, about 1.75 to about 2.3 wt. % Cu; about 0.05 to about 0.3 wt. % Zr, less than about 0.1 wt. % Mn, less than about 0.05 wt. % Cr, the balance Al, incidental elements and impurities and a method for making same. The instantly disclosed alloys are useful in making structural members for commercial airplanes including, but not limited to, upper wing skins and stringers, spar caps, spar webs and ribs of either built-up or integral construction.

Abstract: Aluminum alloy products about 4 inches thick or less that possesses the ability to achieve, when solution heat treated, quenched, and artificially aged, and in parts made from the products, an improved combination of strength, fracture toughness and corrosion resistance, the alloy consisting essentially of: about 6.8 to about 8.5 wt. % Zn, about 1.5 to about 2.00 wt. % Mg, about 1.75 to about 2.3 wt. % Cu; about 0.05 to about 0.3 wt. % Zr, less than about 0.1 wt. % Mn, less than about 0.05 wt. % Cr, the balance Al, incidental elements and impurities and a method for making same. The instantly disclosed alloys are useful in making structural members for commercial airplanes including, but not limited to, upper wing skins and stringers, spar caps, spar webs and ribs of either built-up or integral construction.

Abstract: Aluminum alloy products about 4 inches thick or less that possesses the ability to achieve, when solution heat treated, quenched, and artificially aged, and in parts made from the products, an improved combination of strength, fracture toughness and corrosion resistance, the alloy consisting essentially of: about 6.8 to about 8.5 wt. % Zn, about 1.5 to about 2.00 wt. % Mg, about 1.75 to about 2.3 wt. % Cu; about 0.05 to about 0.3 wt. % Zr, less than about 0.1 wt. % Mn, less than about 0.05 wt. % Cr, the balance Al, incidental elements and impurities and a method for making same. The instantly disclosed alloys are useful in making structural members for commercial airplanes including, but not limited to, upper wing skins and stringers, spar caps, spar webs and ribs of either built-up or integral construction.

Abstract: Aluminum alloy products about 4 inches thick or less that possesses the ability to achieve, when solution heat treated, quenched, and artificially aged, and in parts made from the products, an improved combination of strength, fracture toughness and corrosion resistance, the alloy consisting essentially of: about 6.8 to about 8.5 wt. % Zn, about 1.5 to about 2.00 wt. % Mg, about 1.75 to about 2.3 wt. % Cu; about 0.05 to about 0.3 wt. % Zr, less than about 0.1 wt. % Mn, less than about 0.05 wt. % Cr, the balance Al, incidental elements and impurities and a method for making same. The instantly disclosed alloys are useful in making structural members for commercial airplanes including, but not limited to, upper wing skins and stringers, spar caps, spar webs and ribs of either built-up or integral construction.

Abstract: Improved aluminum-copper-lithium alloys are disclosed. The alloys may include 3.4-4.2 wt. % Cu, 0.9-1.4 wt. % Li, 0.3-0.7 wt. % Ag, 0.1-0.6 wt. % Mg, 0.2-0.8 wt. % Zn, 0.1-0.6 wt. % Mn, and 0.01-0.6 wt. % of at least one grain structure control element, the balance being aluminum and incidental elements and impurities. The alloys achieve an improved combination of properties over prior art alloys.

Abstract: Improved aluminum-copper-lithium alloys are disclosed. The alloys may include 3.4-4.2 wt. % Cu, 0.9-1.4 wt. % Li, 0.3-0.7 wt. % Ag, 0.1-0.6 wt. % Mg, 0.2-0.8 wt. % Zn, 0.1-0.6 wt. % Mn, and 0.01-0.6 wt. % of at least one grain structure control element, the balance being aluminum and incidental elements and impurities. The alloys achieve an improved combination of properties over prior art alloys.

Abstract: Improved aluminum-copper-lithium alloys are disclosed. The alloys may include 3.4-4.2 wt. % Cu, 0.9-1.4 wt. % Li, 0.3-0.7 wt. % Ag, 0.1-0.6 wt. % Mg, 0.2-0.8 wt. % Zn, 0.1-0.6 wt. % Mn, and 0.01-0.6 wt. % of at least one grain structure control element, the balance being aluminum and incidental elements and impurities. The alloys achieve an improved combination of properties over prior art alloys.

Abstract: Aluminum alloy products about 4 inches thick or less that possesses the ability to achieve, when solution heat treated, quenched, and artificially aged, and in parts made from the products, an improved combination of strength, fracture toughness and corrosion resistance, the alloy consisting essentially of: about 6.8 to about 8.5 wt. % Zn, about 1.5 to about 2.00 wt. % Mg, about 1.75 to about 2.3 wt. % Cu; about 0.05 to about 0.3 wt. % Zr, less than about 0.1 wt. % Mn, less than about 0.05 wt. % Cr, the balance Al, incidental elements and impurities and a method for making same. The instantly disclosed alloys are useful in making structural members for commercial airplanes including, but not limited to, upper wing skins and stringers, spar caps, spar webs and ribs of either built-up or integral construction.

Abstract: Improved aluminum-copper-lithium alloys are disclosed. The alloys may include 3.4-4.2 wt. % Cu, 0.9-1.4 wt. % Li, 0.3-0.7 wt. % Ag, 0.1-0.6 wt. % Mg, 0.2-0.8 wt. % Zn, 0.1-0.6 wt. % Mn, and 0.01-0.6 wt. % of at least one grain structure control element, the balance being aluminum and incidental elements and impurities. The alloys achieve an improved combination of properties over prior art alloys.

Abstract: An extruded structural member having improved damage tolerance containing a base section (6); a stiffening section having at least one pair of structural stiffeners (10), the structural stiffeners integral with the base section (6) and projecting outwardly thereof; and at least one intra-stiffener (90) area positioned between the pair of structural stiffeners (10), the intra-stiffener area (90) having a microstructure with intentionally increased amounts of fiber texture to reduce the rate of fatigue crack growth in the extruded structural member.

Abstract: An extruded structural member having improved damage tolerance. The structural member comprising: a base section; a rib stiffening section having at least one pair of structural ribs, the structural ribs integral with the base section and projecting outwardly thereof; and at least one intra-rib area positioned between the pair of structural ribs, the intra-rib area having a microstructure with intentionally increased amounts of fiber texture to reduce the rate of fatigue crack growth in the extruded structural member.

Abstract: Aluminum sheet products having highly anisotropic grain microstructures and highly textured crystallographic microstructures are disclosed. The products exhibit improved strength and improved resistance to fatigue crack growth, as well as other advantageous properties such as improved combinations of strength and fracture toughness. The sheet products are useful for aerospace and other applications, particularly aircraft fuselages.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for artificially aging 7000 Series A1 aerospace alloys to impart improved strength and/or corrosion resistance performance thereto. The method purposefully adds a second aging step or stage to a one-step tempering, or a third step/stage to a low-high, two-step aging operation. The added step/stage extends at about 225-275° F. for about 3-24 hours. More preferably, the added stage extends at about 250° F. for about 6 hours or more.

Abstract: An aluminum-copper-zinc alloy having ancillary additions of lithium. The alloy composition includes from about 5 to 13 wt % zinc and from about 0.01 to 1.0 wt % lithium.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of making lithium-containing aluminum base alloy extrusion having at least a section thereof having a low aspect ratio or which is generally axisymmetrical, the extrusions having improved properties in sections thereof having the low aspect ratio or which are axisymmetrical. The method comprises providing a body of a lithium-containing aluminum alloy, pressing a portion of the body which is to form the axisymmetrical or low aspect ratio section through a tortuous path and extruding an axisymmetrical or a low aspect ratio extrusion section. The axisymmetrical or low aspect ratio section of the extrusion has a tensile strength of at least 60 ksi and an ultimate yield strength at least 4.5 ksi greater than the tensile yield strength.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of producing an unrecrystallized aluminum alloy flat rolled product, e.g., plate or sheet, having improved levels of strength and fracture toughness. The method comprises the steps of providing a body of an aluminum base alloy, heating and hot working the body to a first product. This is followed by reheating, cooling and heat treating the first product prior to further working it to an unrecrystallized plate or sheet product, for example.

Abstract: Composite materials having improved fracture toughness are formed by dispersing ductile inclusions in a less ductile matrix. The matrices may be formed from metals, such as high-strength aluminum alloys or ceramics. Bonding should be present between the inclusions and the matrix so that cracks in the composite material must pass through the inclusions.

Abstract: A method of treating a metallurgical object containing metastable featureless regions adversely affecting toughness, comprising heating the object for transforming the regions at least sufficiently out of their metastable state to improve toughness.A method of treating metal particles containing metastable featureless regions which adversely affect toughness when the particles are bonded together to form a metallurigcal object, comprising heating the particles for transforming the regions at least sufficiently out of their metastable state to improve toughness in metallurgical objects formed by bonding the particles together.