Aluminum alloys, aluminum alloy products and methods for making the same

摘要

Decorative shape cast products and methods, systems, compositions and apparatus for producing the same are described. In one embodiment, the decorative shape cast products are produced from an Al—Ni or Al—Ni—Mn alloy, with a tailored microstructure to facilitate production of anodized decorative shape cast product having the appropriate finish and mechanical properties.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
(a) selecting a product application for a shape cast aluminum alloy product; (b) selecting a finishing style for the shape cast aluminum alloy product;
wherein the finishing style includes a visually apparent defect free surface; (c) selecting, based on at least one of steps (a) and (b):
(i) a predetermined microstructure of the shape cast aluminum alloy product;
wherein the predetermined microstructure comprises a layered microstructure, wherein the layered microstructure comprises an outer layer having alpha aluminum phase and eutectic microstructure; and(ii) an alloy for use in producing the shape cast aluminum alloy product, wherein the alloy is one of:
(A) an Al—Ni casting alloy comprising from about 0.5 wt. % to about 8.0 wt. % Ni; and(B) an Al—Ni—Mn casting alloy comprising from about 0.5 wt. % to about 8.0 wt. % Ni and from about 0.5 wt. % to about 3.5 wt. % Mn; (d) producing the shape cast aluminum alloy product in response to the selection step (c), wherein the producing comprises:
(i) die casting the shape cast aluminum alloy product from either the Al—Ni or the Al—Ni—Mn alloy;
wherein the shape cast aluminum alloy product realizes the layered microstructure, wherein the outer layer has a thickness of not greater than about 400 microns;(ii) removing at least a portion of the outer layer from the shape cast aluminum alloy product; and(iii) anodizing the shape cast aluminum alloy product, wherein the anodizing comprises forming a uniform oxide layer from a portion of the shape cast aluminum alloy product;wherein after the anodizing step (iii), the shape cast aluminum alloy product realizes both (A) a CIELAB L-value of at least about 55 and (B) an ISO brightness of at least about 20.