Abstract: Provided herein are new aluminum alloys comprising Ca, Mg and/or Zn and new coated aluminum alloys comprising surface layers (e.g., coatings) comprising Ca, Mn, Zn, and/or Ni that can be used in aluminum alloy products, such as clad layers. Also provided are methods of making these aluminum alloys, coated aluminum alloys, and clad layers, as well as clad products. These alloys, coated alloys, clad layers, and products possess a combination of strength and other key attributes, such as corrosion resistance, formability, and applicability of paint line pretreatments. The materials can be used in a variety of applications, including automotive, transportation, and electronics applications.

Abstract: Described herein is a continuous coil pretreatment process used to treat the surface of an aluminum alloy sheet or coil for subsequent deposition of an acidic organophosphorus compound. The process can include applying a cleaner to a surface of an aluminum sheet or a coil; etching the surface of the aluminum sheet or the coil with an acidic solution; rinsing the surface of the aluminum sheet or the coil with deionized water; applying to the surface of the aluminum sheet or the coil a solution of an acidic organophosphorus compound; rinsing the surface of the aluminum sheet or the coil with deionized water; and drying the surface of the aluminum sheet or the coil.

Abstract: Described herein is a continuous coil pretreatment process used to treat the surface of an aluminum alloy sheet or coil for subsequent deposition of an acidic organophosphorus compound. The process can include applying a cleaner to a surface of an aluminum sheet or a coil; etching the surface of the aluminum sheet or the coil with an acidic solution; rinsing the surface of the aluminum sheet or the coil with deionized water; applying to the surface of the aluminum sheet or the coil a solution of an acidic organophosphorus compound; rinsing the surface of the aluminum sheet or the coil with deionized water; and drying the surface of the aluminum sheet or the coil.

Abstract: Provided herein are corrosion resistant metal substrates and methods for producing the same by thermal modification. The disclosure provides methods for producing corrosion resistant substrates by producing a pretreatment film on a surface of a metal substrate and heating the pretreated metal substrate. In particular, the metal substrate and/or the pretreated metal substrate of these methods is in an F temper, a T4 temper, or a T6 temper.

Abstract: Disclosed are aluminum alloy products and methods of making and processing such products. Thus, disclosed are aluminum alloy products exhibiting controllable surface properties, including excellent bond durability, low contact resistance, and corrosion resistance. Aluminum alloy products described herein include a migrant element, a subsurface portion having a concentration of the migrant element, and a bulk portion having a concentration of the migrant element. The aluminum alloy product comprises an enrichment ratio of 4.0 or less, wherein the enrichment ratio is a ratio of the migrant element concentration in the subsurface portion to the concentration in the bulk portion. Additionally, the aluminum alloy products surface and/or subsurface can contain phosphorus (e.g., elemental phosphorus or oxidized phosphorus). The phosphorus containing surface provides reduced electronic stress on an electrode tip of a resistance spot welding apparatus, and an extended service lifetime (e.g.

Abstract: Described are aluminum alloy products that generally have a microstructure and composition that resists corrosion. This corrosion resistance, in turn, allows the aluminum alloy products to exhibit favorable bond durability performance, such as when adhesively bonded to another product. The corrosion resistance can be achieved by controlling the composition of the aluminum alloy, including the presence and/or concentration of certain intermetallic particles, such as ?-phase intermetallic particles and ?-phase intermetallic particles.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods and systems for electrolytic processing of metallic substrates, such as aluminum alloys. The disclosure provides methods of making an anodized substrate by anodizing a metallic substrate in an electrolyte solution comprising phosphoric acid. In particular, the disclosure describes various conditions for anodizing the metallic substrate, including temperature, acid concentration, and voltage. The disclosure also provides systems for carrying out described methods.

Abstract: Aluminum alloy products having a bulk and a micro-grained subsurface structure are described. The aluminum alloy products may exhibit superior bonding character and may comprise or have a silicon-containing layer thereon. The bulk may include a matrix including grains of an aluminum alloy and may comprise aluminum and one or more alloying elements such as zinc, magnesium, copper, chromium, silicon, iron, or manganese. The micro-grained subsurface structure may be substantially devoid of one or more defects (e.g., voids, transfer cracks, or fissures) or organics, oils, hydrocarbons, soils, inorganic residues, rolled-in oxides, or anodic oxides, which may commonly be present in rolled near-surface microstructures. The micro-grained subsurface structure may include or have thereon a first oxide layer having a thickness of from 1 nm to 20 nm. Methods of making aluminum alloy products are also described.

Abstract: Described are methods of treating surfaces of metal alloy substrates and associated metal alloy products. The methods may include providing an aluminum alloy product having a bulk and a surface and scanning abeam of high energy across the surface. The method may further include applying a liquid layer onto the surface prior to scanning a beam of high energy. The beam of high energy may interact with the surface and/or the liquid layer to form a treated surface. The beam of high energy may interact with the surface and/or the liquid layer to physically modify the at least a portion of the aluminum alloy product to form a treated sub-surface layer.

Abstract: Provided herein are new aluminum alloys comprising Ca, Mg and/or Zn and new coated aluminum alloys comprising surface layers (e.g., coatings) comprising Ca, Mn, Zn, and/or Ni that can be used in aluminum alloy products, such as clad layers. Also provided are methods of making these aluminum alloys, coated aluminum alloys, and clad layers, as well as clad products. These alloys, coated alloys, clad layers, and products possess a combination of strength and other key attributes, such as corrosion resistance, formability, and applicability of paint line pretreatments. The materials can be used in a variety of applications, including automotive, transportation, and electronics applications.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for engineering a metal substrate surface via a dry chemical deposition technique. Also described herein are the resulting surface engineered metal substrates. More particularly, disclosed are surface engineered metal substrates having thin films deposited via flame pyrolysis of a mixture of a gas mixture comprising an oxidizer and a combustible gas, a chemical precursor comprising a silicon-containing compound and/or a phosphorus-containing compound, and a chemical additive.

Abstract: Described are techniques for treating metals by exposing the metals to reactive solutions to reduce a temperature of the metal and to modify a surface of the metal through chemical reaction, such as by removing material or adding material. The disclosed techniques may advantageously increase the rate at which the temperature of the metal may be reduced as compared to conventional cooling techniques involving pure water, increase metal manufacturing rates, and reduce overall complexity of a metal manufacturing process. The disclosed techniques may also advantageously expand the range of available surface treatments, allow for faster surface treatment processes, and reduce or eliminate the use of hazardous chemicals during a surface treatment process. Such advantages may arise by employing chemical processing that takes place or takes place more efficiently at elevated temperatures.

Abstract: A non-contact heating apparatus uses a series of rotating magnets to heat, levitate, and/or move metal articles therethrough. A first series of rotating magnets heats the metal article to a desired temperature. A second series of rotating magnets levitates the metal article within the heating apparatus and maintains desired tension in the metal article, including urging the metal article through the heating apparatus. The heating apparatus can extend sufficiently far to soak the metal article at the desired temperature for a desired duration. The rotating magnets can be positioned outside of an electrically non-conductive, heat resistant chamber filled with an inert or mildly reactive gas, through which the metal article passes in the heating apparatus.

Abstract: Described herein are anodized continuous coils containing a thin anodized film layer and methods for making and using the same. The anodized continuous coils include an aluminum alloy continuous coil, wherein a surface of the aluminum alloy continuous coil comprises a thin anodized film layer. The anodized continuous coils maintain the anodized film layer during deforming processes.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally provides aluminum alloy articles having improved bond durability at certain surfaces of the article. The disclosure also provides methods of making such materials, for example, via a selective etching process, as well as methods of using such articles in applications that involve bonding the article to other articles, such as other aluminum articles. The disclosure also provides articles of manufacture made from such articles, including bonded aluminum articles. The disclosure also provides aluminum alloy articles having an inert or neutralized surface. The inert or neutralized surfaces described herein are characterized by surfaces containing oxidized copper. Also described herein are methods including etching a surface of the aluminum alloy articles with an oxidant. The resulting aluminum alloy articles exhibit desirable bond durability properties and exceptional corrosion resistance.

Abstract: Disclosed are aluminum alloy products and methods of making and processing such products. Thus, disclosed are aluminum alloy products exhibiting controllable surface properties, including excellent bond durability, low contact resistance, and corrosion resistance. Aluminum alloy products described herein include a migrant element, a subsurface portion having a concentration of the migrant element, and a bulk portion having a concentration of the migrant element. The aluminum alloy product comprises an enrichment ratio of 4.0 or less, wherein the enrichment ratio is a ratio of the migrant element concentration in the subsurface portion to the concentration in the bulk portion. Additionally, the aluminum alloy products surface and/or subsurface can contain phosphorus (e.g., elemental phosphorus or oxidized phosphorus). The phosphorus containing surface provides reduced electronic stress on an electrode tip of a resistance spot welding apparatus, and an extended service lifetime (e.g.

Abstract: Described are techniques for treating metals by exposing the metals to reactive solutions to reduce a temperature of the metal and to modify a surface of the metal through chemical reaction, such as by removing material or adding material. The disclosed techniques may advantageously increase the rate at which the temperature of the metal may be reduced as compared to conventional cooling techniques involving pure water, increase metal manufacturing rates, and reduce overall complexity of a metal manufacturing process. The disclosed techniques may also advantageously expand the range of available surface treatments, allow for faster surface treatment processes, and reduce or eliminate the use of hazardous chemicals during a surface treatment process. Such advantages may arise by employing chemical processing that takes place or takes place more efficiently at elevated temperatures.

Abstract: A non-contact heating apparatus uses a series of rotating magnets to heat, levitate, and/or move metal articles therethrough. A first series of rotating magnets heats the metal article to a desired temperature. A second series of rotating magnets levitates the metal article within the heating apparatus and maintains desired tension in the metal article, including urging the metal article through the heating apparatus. The heating apparatus can extend sufficiently far to soak the metal article at the desired temperature for a desired duration. The rotating magnets can be positioned outside of an electrically non-conductive, heat resistant chamber filled with an inert or mildly reactive gas, through which the metal article passes in the heating apparatus.

Abstract: Described herein is a continuous coil pretreatment process used to treat the surface of an aluminum alloy sheet or coil for subsequent deposition of an acidic organophosphorus compound. The process can include applying a cleaner to a surface of an aluminum sheet or a coil; etching the surface of the aluminum sheet or the coil with an acidic solution; rinsing the surface of the aluminum sheet or the coil with deionized water; applying to the surface of the aluminum sheet or the coil a solution of an acidic organophosphorus compound; rinsing the surface of the aluminum sheet or the coil with deionized water; and drying the surface of the aluminum sheet or the coil.