Abstract: The disclosed technology relates to a method of selecting a material composition and/or designing an alloy. In one aspect, a method of selecting a composition of a material having a target property comprises receiving an input comprising thermodynamic phase data for a plurality of materials. The method additionally includes extracting from the thermodynamic phase data a plurality of thermodynamic quantities corresponding to each of the materials by a computing device. The extracted thermodynamic quantities are predetermined to have correlations to microstructures associated with physical properties of the material. The method additionally includes storing the extracted thermodynamic quantities in a computer-readable medium. The method further includes electronically mining the stored thermodynamic quantities using the computing device to rank at least a subset of the materials based on a comparison of at least a subset of the thermodynamic quantities that are correlated to the target property.

Abstract: The disclosed technology relates to a method of selecting a material composition and/or designing an alloy. In one aspect, a method of selecting a composition of a material having a target property comprises receiving an input comprising thermodynamic phase data for a plurality of materials. The method additionally includes extracting from the thermodynamic phase data a plurality of thermodynamic quantities corresponding to each of the materials by a computing device. The extracted thermodynamic quantities are predetermined to have correlations to microstructures associated with physical properties of the material. The method additionally includes storing the extracted thermodynamic quantities in a computer-readable medium. The method further includes electronically mining the stored thermodynamic quantities using the computing device to rank at least a subset of the materials based on a comparison of at least a subset of the thermodynamic quantities that are correlated to the target property.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an aluminum alloy wire or the like which can secure a high conductivity and a moderately low yield strength, and realize both a high elongation and a moderate tensile strength. An aluminum alloy wire of the present disclosure contains 0.10 to 1.00% by mass of Mg, 0.10 to 1.20% by mass of Si, 0.10 to 1.40% by mass of Fe, 0 to 0.10% by mass of Ti, 0 to 0.030% by mass of B, 0 to 1.00% by mass of Cu, 0 to 1.00% by mass of Mn, 0 to 1.00% by mass of Cr, 0 to 0.50% by mass of Zr, and 0 to 0.50% by mass of Ni, the balance being Al and 0.30% by mass or less of impurities. Coarse crystal grains are present in a vertical cross-sectional structure of the wire taken in a lengthwise direction of the wire. The greatest grain size of the coarse crystal grains as measured in the lengthwise direction of the wire is equal to or greater than a diameter of the wire.

Abstract: An aluminum alloy electric wire includes an aluminum alloy strand that contains Mg, Si and a remainder composed of aluminum and inevitable impurities. The aluminum alloy strand contains 0.6 to 1.4 atomic % of Mg and 0.2 to 1.0 atomic % of Si, has a coefficient of variation of 0.8 or less, the coefficient being calculated by dividing a standard deviation of a grain size of crystal grains observed on a cross section by an average grain size of the crystal grains, has tensile strength of 165 MPa or more, has elongation at break of 7% or more, and has conductivity of 40% IACS or more.

Abstract: A method for improving the flatness of a rolled sheet or strip includes the application of differential cooling. A cooling agent can be selectively applied along the width of the strip. More cooling can be applied to the edges of the strip, where tension is greatest, to increase tension at the edges. The strip can be allowed to lengthen at these edges, which can improve flatness. In some embodiments, a closed loop flatness control system is used to measure the flatness of a strip and automatically adjust the differential cooling based on the measurement.

Abstract: An Al—Zn—Mg—Cu-based high-strength aluminum alloy thin extruded shape has a yield strength of 700 MPa or more. The high-strength aluminum alloy thin extruded shape includes 9.0 to 13.0 mass % of Zn, 2.0 to 3.0 mass % of Mg, 1.0 to 2.0 mass % of Cu, and 0.05 to 0.3 mass % of Zr, with the balance being Al and unavoidable impurities, fine precipitates having a circle equivalent diameter of 5 to 20 nm being dispersed in a crystal grain of the extruded shape in a number of 4000 to 6000 per ?m2.

Abstract: An aluminum alloy wire, having an alloy composition which contains: 0.01 to 1.2 mass % of Fe, 0.1 to 1.0 mass % of Mg, and 0.1 to 1.0 mass % of Si, with the balance being Al and inevitable impurities, in which a grain size is 1 to 30 ?m, and in which a dispersion density of Mg2Si needle precipitate in the aluminum alloy is 10 to 200/?m2; and a method of producing the same.

Abstract: The present invention relates to extruded, rolled and/or forged products. Also provided are methods of making such products based on aluminum alloy wherein a liquid metal bath is prepared comprising 2.0 to 3.5% by weight of Cu, 1.4 to 1.8% by weight of Li, 0.1 to 0.5% by weight of Ag, 0.1 to 1.0% by weight of Mg, 0.05 to 0.18% by weight of Zr, 0.2 to 0.6% by weight of Mn and at least one element selected from Cr, Sc, Hf and Ti, the quantity of said element selected, being 0.05 to 0.3% by weight for Cr and for Sc, 0.05 to 0.5% by weight for Hf and 0.01 to 0.15% by weight for Ti, the remainder being aluminum and inevitable impurities. The products and methods of the present invention offer an advantageous compromise between static mechanical strength and damage tolerance and are useful in aeronautical design.

Abstract: A process for producing surface conditioned aluminum castings, comprising a step of applying to aluminum castings an alkaline surface conditioning liquid containing at least one organic builder and/or one chelating agent, wherein the alkaline surface conditioning liquid used in the step has a surface conditioning activity (CD; mol/l) in the range of 0.05?CD?2.3 and a coefficient of gloss (CE; g/mol) in the range of 2.8?CE?90.

Abstract: An aluminum alloy conductor, which has a specific aluminum alloy composition of Al—Fe—Mg—Si—Cu—(TiN), Al—Fe, Al—Fe—Mg—Si, or Al—Fe—Mg—Si—Cu, which has a recrystallized texture of 40% or more of an area ratio of grains each having a (111) plane and being positioned in parallel to a cross-section vertical to a wire-drawing direction of a wire, and which has a grain size of 1 to 30 ?m on the cross-section vertical to the wire-drawing direction of the wire; and a production method thereof.

Abstract: Embodiments of a method for non-isothermally aging an aluminum alloy are provided. The method comprises heating an aluminum alloy at a first ramp-up rate to a maximum temperature below a precipitate solvus value, cooling the alloy at a first cooling rate sufficient to produce a maximum number of primary precipitates, cooling at a second cooling rate until a minimum temperature is reached wherein the growth rate of primary precipitates is equal to or substantially zero, and heating the alloy at a second ramp-up rate to a temperature sufficient to produce a maximum number of secondary precipitates.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a substantially unrecrystallized rolled aluminum alloy product, obtained from a plate with a thickness of at least 30 mm, comprising 2.2 to 3.9 wt. % Cu, 0.7 to 2.1 wt. % Li, 0.2 to 0.8 wt. % Mg, 0.2 to 0.5 wt. % Mn, 0.04 to 0.18 wt. % Zr, less than 0.05 wt. % Zn, and optionally 0.1 to 0.5 wt. % Ag, remainder aluminum and unavoidable impurities having a low propensity to crack branching during L-S a fatigue test. A product of the invention has a crack deviation angle ? of at least 20° under a maximum equivalent stress intensity factor Keff max of 10 MPa ?m for a S-L cracked test sample under a mixed mode I and mode II loading wherein the angle ? between a plane perpendicular to the initial crack direction and the load direction is 75°.

Abstract: An aluminium alloy product for manufacturing structural components, made from direct chill casting ingots comprises, based on wt %: Zn 7.5˜8.7, Mg 1.1˜2.3, Cu 0.5˜1.9, Zr 0.03˜0.20, the balance being Al, incidental elements and impurities. The levels of Zn, Mg, Cu, and Zr in the aluminum alloy products satisfy the expressions of (a) 10.5?Zn+Mg+Cu?11.0; (b) 5.3?(Zn/Mg)+Cu?6.0; and (c) (0.24?D/4800)?Zr?(0.24?D/5000). D is the minimum length of a line section connecting any two points on the periphery of the cross section of the ingot and passing through the geometrical center of the cross section. 250 mm?D?1000 mm. The aluminum alloy products have a superior combination of strength and damage tolerance, and exhibit homogeneous and consistent performance on the surface, at various depths under the surface, and in the core of the product. A method of producing the aluminum alloy products is also provided.

Abstract: A method of providing solution heat treatment to an aluminum alloy. A non-isothermal process is used to provide a faster heat treatment cycle time while maintaining or further improving the alloy mechanical properties after subsequent aging hardening. The process includes establishing a temperature inside a processing vessel that is greater than a soaking temperature but less than a liquidus temperature of the alloy, rapidly heating the alloy to the soaking temperature in a first heating operation, reducing the temperature inside of the processing vessel to the soaking temperature, then heating the alloy to a temperature above the soaking temperature through a gradually increasing temperature in a second heating operation. Protocols for the improved solution heat treatment may be based on one or more of computational thermodynamics, dissolution kinetics and coarsening kinetics.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a substantially unrecrystallized rolled aluminum alloy product, obtained from a plate with a thickness of at least 30 mm, comprising 2.2 to 3.9 wt. % Cu, 0.7 to 2.1 wt. % Li, 0.2 to 0.8 wt. % Mg, 0.2 to 0.5 wt. % Mn, 0.04 to 0.18 wt. % Zr, less than 0.05 wt. % Zn, and optionally 0.1 to 0.5 wt. % Ag, remainder aluminum and unavoidable impurities having a low propensity to crack branching during L-S a fatigue test. A product of the invention has a crack deviation angle ? of at least 20° under a maximum equivalent stress intensity factor Keff max of 10 MPa ?m for a S-L cracked test sample under a mixed mode I and mode II loading wherein the angle ? between a plane perpendicular to the initial crack direction and the load direction is 75°.

Abstract: The present invention provides Al—Ni-based wiring material that allows, in a display device including thin film transistors and transparent electrode layers, direct bonding to the transparent electrode layer made of ITO, IZO or the like as well as direct bonding to the semiconductor layer, such as n+-Si.

Abstract: The present invention relates to extruded, rolled and/or forged products. Also provided are methods of making such products based on aluminum alloy wherein a liquid metal bath is prepared comprising 2.0 to 3.5% by weight of Cu, 1.4 to 1.8% by weight of Li, 0.1 to 0.5% by weight of Ag, 0.1 to 1.0% by weight of Mg, 0.05 to 0.18% by weight of Zr, 0.2 to 0.6% by weight of Mn and at least one element selected from Cr, Sc, Hf and Ti, the quantity of said element, if it is selected, being 0.05 to 0.3% by weight for Cr and for Sc, 0.05 to 0.5% by weight for Hf and 0.01 to 0.15% by weight for Ti, the remainder being aluminum and inevitable impurities. The products and methods of the present invention offer a particularly advantageous compromise between static mechanical strength and damage tolerance and are particularly useful in the field of aeronautical design.

Abstract: A method of providing solution heat treatment to an aluminum alloy. A non-isothermal process is used to provide a faster heat treatment cycle time while maintaining or further improving the alloy mechanical properties after subsequent aging hardening. The process includes establishing a temperature inside a processing vessel that is greater than a soaking temperature but less than a liquidus temperature of the alloy, rapidly heating the alloy to the soaking temperature in a first heating operation, reducing the temperature inside of the processing vessel to the soaking temperature, then heating the alloy to a temperature above the soaking temperature through a gradually increasing temperature in a second heating operation. Protocols for the improved solution heat treatment may be based on one or more of computational thermodynamics, dissolution kinetics and coarsening kinetics.

Abstract: Embodiments of a method for non-isothermally aging an aluminum alloy are provided. The method comprises heating an aluminum alloy at a first ramp-up rate to a maximum temperature below a precipitate solvus value, cooling the alloy at a first cooling rate sufficient to produce a maximum number of primary precipitates, cooling at a second cooling rate until a minimum temperature is reached wherein the growth rate of primary precipitates is equal to or substantially zero, and heating the alloy at a second ramp-up rate to a temperature sufficient to produce a maximum number of secondary precipitates.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a substantially unrecrystallized rolled aluminum alloy product, obtained from a plate with a thickness of at least 30 mm, comprising 2.2 to 3.9 wt. % Cu, 0.7 to 2.1 wt. % Li, 0.2 to 0.8 wt. % Mg, 0.2 to 0.5 wt. % Mn, 0.04 to 0.18 wt. % Zr, less than 0.05 wt. % Zn, and optionally 0.1 to 0.5 wt. % Ag, remainder aluminum and unavoidable impurities having a low propensity to crack branching during L-S a fatigue test.

Abstract: The present invention provides Al-based wiring material that allows, in a display device including thin film transistors and transparent electrode layers, direct bonding to the transparent electrode layer made of ITO, IZO or the like as well as direct bonding to the semiconductor layer, such as n+-Si. The Al—Ni—B alloy wiring material according to the present invention is configured such that the nickel content X at %, the nickel atomic percent, and the boron content Y at %, the boron atomic percent, satisfy the following equations: 0.5?X?10.0, 0.05?Y?11.0, Y+0.25X?1.0 and Y+1.15X?11.5, and the remainder is aluminum.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for optimizing heat treatment of precipitation-hardened alloys having at least one precipitate phase by decreasing aging time and/or aging temperature using thermal growth predictions based on a quantitative model. The method includes predicting three values: a volume change in the precipitation-hardened alloy due to transformations in at least one precipitation phase, an equilibrium phase fraction of at least one precipitation phase, and a kinetic growth coefficient of at least one precipitation phase. Based on these three values and a thermal growth model, the method predicts thermal growth in a precipitation-hardened alloy. The thermal growth model is particularly suitable for Al—Si—Cu alloys used in aluminum alloy components. The present invention also discloses a method to predict heat treatment aging time and temperature necessary for dimensional stability without the need for inexact and costly trial and error measurements.

Abstract: An aluminum fill process for sub-0.25 .mu.m technology integrated circuits that has a reflow temperature less than 400.degree. C. that has low alloy resistivity and excellent electromigration characteristics. The aluminum allow is composed of Al-1% Ge-1% Cu.

Abstract: An aluminium alloy plate is provided with a thickness of more than 2 inches, e.g. 6, 7 or 8 inches, and having an average logarithmic fatigue life of more than 100,000 cycles determined in accordance with ASTM test method E 466. The density of micropores with a size larger than 80 .mu.m in all locations in the midplane (T/2) midwidth position at head and tail ends of the finished plate as measured by Optical Microscopy of samples in any plane perpendicular to the midplane is less than 0.025 micropores per cm.sup.2. The plate may be formed by degassing of a melt to give a specified porosity of the cast ingot, and by hot rolling with at least one specified high reduction ratio pass.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for developing the contours of forming tools for fabricating metal members of complex shape such as wing skin and fuselage panels for aircraft. A computer simulation is performed of the age forming process on a geometrical representation of a member having the material properties of a desired metal member. The age forming process includes the steps of: a) overforming an unformed member in a tool having a contour of smaller curvature than the contour of the desired member; b) constraining the unformed member in the overformed condition; c) applying a thermal aging cycle to the member; d) cooling the constrained member following the thermal aging cycle; and e) releasing the constrained member from the condition imparted by step (b) and allowing it to spring back to a dimensionally stable condition which defines the desired member having a surface contour of complex shape.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for developing the contour of tools employed for forming aluminum alloy members exhibiting complex shapes. The members are precipitation, heat-treatable, aluminum alloys which are age formed. The resulting member is formed to the desired contour and, simultaneously, is heat treated to reduce residual stresses while improving its strength characteristics. The invention is particularly concerned with a new tool contour prediction method which is based upon the relationship, for a particular aluminum alloy, of the strain retained in a part after it has been subjected to an applied strain while constrained to a desired shape, then released after being heat treated in an autoclave or furnace.