High-strength aluminum alloy for food and beverage packaging and preparation method thereof

Abstract

Described herein are novel aluminum alloys comprising recycled aluminum alloy materials that exhibit high strength and high formability. The aluminum alloys described herein are suitable for use in food and beverage packaging, such as can body blanks, and, for example, exhibit high strength and formability while having a higher Mg content than conventional 3xxx series aluminum alloys used to produce such packaging, including can body blanks. The present disclosure provides a cost-effective alternative to the use of AA3004 and AA3104 aluminum alloys for food and beverage packaging with comparable mechanical properties while incorporating greater amounts of recycled waste.

Description

Priority Statement

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 579,771, filed August 30, 2023, the entire contents and disclosure of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates to the fields of metallurgy, aluminum alloys, aluminum manufacturing, and related fields. Specifically, this disclosure provides novel aluminum alloys with a large amount of recycled aluminum material, which can be used to produce food and beverage packaging, including can blanks. Background Technology

[0003] Can body blanks are typically made of high-strength aluminum alloys with good formability. The mechanical requirements for the aluminum alloys used to produce can body blanks differ from those for can end blanks. Generally, aluminum alloys used to produce can body blanks require lower strength than those used for can end blanks. Therefore, can body blanks are often made from aluminum alloys with a lower magnesium (Mg) content than can end blanks. For example, can body blanks can be made from AA3004 aluminum alloy with a Mg content between 0.80 wt% and 1.30 wt%.

[0004] Many aluminum manufacturers use 3xxx series aluminum alloys (e.g., AA3004 or AA3104) for can body blanks. However, recycled materials, such as used beverage cans (UBC), are not used to produce can end blanks and can body blanks because UBC contains two separate aluminum alloys with different compositions. Specifically, can end blanks are typically produced from AA5182 aluminum alloy, while can body blanks are typically produced from AA3104 aluminum alloy. Because UBC contains two different aluminum alloys, there is little commonality in the composition of the new aluminum alloys used to manufacture can body and can end blanks. Therefore, if UBC is used to produce new aluminum alloys, primary aluminum and additional alloying elements need to be added to adjust the composition used to produce the can end and can body blanks. This addition of primary aluminum and / or additional alloying elements reduces the recyclability of the recycled aluminum alloy product used to produce new aluminum alloys, which reduces the recycling content. Furthermore, the addition of primary aluminum increases carbon dioxide emissions and costs, leading to environmental hazards and high costs. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The embodiments covered by this disclosure are defined by the claims rather than by the content of this invention. The content of this invention is a high-level summary of various aspects of the invention and introduces some concepts further described in the following detailed description section. This content is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used alone to define the scope of the claimed subject matter. The subject matter should be understood with reference to the appropriate portions of the specification throughout, any or all of the drawings, and each claim.

[0006] This article describes an aluminum alloy that offers a more cost-effective and recyclable alternative to AA3004 and AA3104 alloys for use in food and beverage packaging, including as can blanks. The alloy may contain up to 0.70 wt% Si, up to 0.80 wt% Fe, up to 0.60 wt% Cu, 0.80–1.50 wt% Mn, 1.30–2.00 wt% Mg, up to 0.60 wt% Zn, up to 0.30 wt% Cr, up to 0.10 wt% Ti, up to 0.15 wt% impurities, and Al, wherein the alloy contains at least 60 wt% recycled aluminum scrap. In some aspects, the aluminum alloy contains 0.20-0.40 wt% Si, 0.40-0.60 wt% Fe, 0.10-0.30 wt% Cu, 0.80-1.00 wt% Mn, 1.35-1.50 wt% Mg, up to 0.25 wt% Zn, up to 0.05 wt% Cr, up to 0.05 wt% Ti, up to 0.15 wt% impurities, and Al. The aluminum alloy may contain more than 75 wt% recycled aluminum scrap. The aluminum alloy may contain less than 15 wt% primary aluminum or less than 5 wt% primary aluminum. The aluminum alloy may exhibit a yield strength of at least 200 MPa, preferably 200 to 350 MPa. The aluminum alloy may exhibit an ultimate tensile strength of at least 250 MPa, preferably 250 to 450 MPa. The aluminum alloy may contain up to 100 wt% recycled aluminum scrap. Recycled aluminum scrap may include waste beverage cans. Waste beverage cans may contain a mixture of recycled metals from the can top and body.

[0007] In some respects, aluminum alloy products, such as can body blanks, can end blanks, can pull ring blanks, and other food and beverage packaging, may contain the aluminum alloys described herein.

[0008] In some respects, aluminum alloy products can be produced by: casting the aluminum alloy to form a cast product; homogenizing the cast product; hot-rolling the cast product to produce a hot-rolled product; cold-rolling the hot-rolled product to produce an aluminum alloy product; and optionally annealing the aluminum alloy product. The aluminum alloy can be as described herein. The casting step may include continuously casting the aluminum alloy to form a cast product. The casting step may include directly cooling the cast aluminum alloy to form a cast product. The method may also include painting and curing the aluminum alloy product.

[0009] Other aspects, objects, and advantages will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed embodiments and accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0010] Figure 1 A flowchart is provided depicting a process for producing high-strength, high-recyclability aluminum alloys using UBC or other aluminum scrap, according to certain aspects of this disclosure.

[0011] Figure 2 A flowchart is provided depicting, according to certain aspects of this disclosure, a process for treating rolled aluminum products of final specifications produced from high-strength, high-recycled aluminum alloys prior to downstream processing for use in tank blank applications. Detailed Implementation

[0012] This paper describes novel aluminum alloys exhibiting high strength and formability for can body blank applications. The aluminum alloys described herein exhibit high strength and formability while having a higher Mg content than conventional AA3004 and AA3104 aluminum alloys used in the production of can body blanks. Compared to conventional aluminum alloys used in the production of can body blanks, the aluminum alloys described herein incorporate a greater amount of recycled aluminum and less primary aluminum, while still maintaining good mechanical properties for can body blanks. For example, compared to conventional aluminum alloys used in the production of can body blanks, the aluminum alloys described herein can contain at least 60% recycled aluminum and less than 40% primary aluminum, while still exhibiting similar mechanical properties to conventional 3xxx series aluminum alloys used in can body blanks. The aluminum alloy composition described throughout this paper provides a cost-effective alternative to using AA3004 and AA3104 aluminum alloys for can body blanks.

[0013] Besides their use in can body blanks, the high strength and formability of these new aluminum alloys, combined with their high magnesium content, may also be useful in other applications. These applications include any food and beverage packaging, including can end blanks, can pull-tab blanks, can body blanks, food cans, food ends, etc. Where high strength and formability are required, the new aluminum alloys can even be used in non-food and beverage applications.

[0014] Unbound by theory, high formability allows aluminum alloy products to withstand more drastic stretching and thinning operations, thus providing processing advantages. Furthermore, by modifying rolling processes, such as using high speeds and temperatures in cold rolling mills, tensile strength and yield strength / ultimate tensile strength spread can be improved. This typically corresponds to increased product formability. Additionally, using increased cold rolling mill speeds during the rolling process can promote cold-rolled product recovery rates.

[0015] The conventional 3xxx series aluminum alloys used to produce can body blanks may require tightly controlled composition to meet mechanical requirements (e.g., strength requirements) while maintaining formability to produce complex geometries. This limits the amount of recycled aluminum that can be used to produce AA5182 aluminum alloy. For example, AA3104 aluminum alloy cannot be produced from large quantities of waste beverage cans because it contains less Mg compared to waste beverage cans. Waste beverage cans consist of a mixture of two different aluminum alloys used for can body blanks and can end blanks. The aluminum alloy used for can end blanks is typically AA5182, while the aluminum alloy used for can body blanks is typically AA3104. Compared to AA5182, AA3104 contains less Mg and more Fe, Si, Mn, and Cu. Due to the differences in the aluminum alloy composition between AA3104 and AA5182, the aluminum alloy composition of waste beverage cans falls between that of AA3104 and AA5182. Therefore, in order to produce can body blanks from a large amount of recycled materials (such as waste beverage cans), the high Mg content of the recycled aluminum scrap needs to be taken into account (e.g., by adding primary aluminum) to produce AA3104 aluminum alloy, which significantly increases manufacturing and environmental costs. This limits the amount of recycled aluminum material that can be used to produce can body blanks.

[0016] The novel aluminum alloys described herein can utilize a greater amount of recycled aluminum material and achieve properties similar to or greater than those of AA3104 aluminum alloy. Specifically, compared to conventional 3xxx aluminum alloys used for can body blank applications, the alloys described herein can tolerate significantly higher levels of Mg (e.g., 1.30 wt% to 1.50 wt%) while still maintaining good strength and formability properties. This can be particularly advantageous for the primary requirement of diluting the Mg content from waste metals to target levels. Furthermore, especially for can end blank and can pull ring blank applications, using 3xxx series alloys instead of AA5182 allows for a wider range of principal elements. These elements include Si, Fe, Cu, and Mn. Therefore, this approach significantly reduces primary resource usage, thereby significantly reducing the carbon footprint.

[0017] Furthermore, the aluminum alloys described herein may contain a greater amount of Mg, which can be compensated for by reducing elements such as Mn and Cu to offset Mg solution hardening. The aluminum alloy composition described herein reduces the compositional gap between the can body blank and the can end blank, thereby reducing the amount of primary aluminum required. By reducing the compositional gap between the aluminum alloys used for the can body blank and the can end blank, more recycled aluminum alloys (such as waste beverage cans) can be used to produce the aluminum alloy used for the can body blank. For example, the aluminum alloys described herein can be produced from at least 60% by weight of recycled waste and less than 15% by weight of primary aluminum.

[0018] In addition to the improvements in sustainability for aluminum alloys discussed in this article, recyclability can also be improved. Recyclability refers to a production and consumption pattern designed to reduce waste and optimize resource utilization throughout the entire production and consumption cycle. Here, because aluminum alloys can be used in a variety of food and beverage applications, the carbon footprint of various production processes can be reduced. Furthermore, the aforementioned advantages in recycling content, processing efficiency, and process sustainability compared to aluminum alloys with different compositions and manufacturing processes all contribute to improved recyclability.

[0019] Furthermore, the can blanks produced using this aluminum alloy composition exhibit properties similar to conventional AA3004 or AA3104 aluminum alloys, allowing can manufacturers to produce the alloy with minimal changes to existing methods. Due to the high Mg content, this alloy composition maintains good can buckling strength and increased sheet strength, while preserving formability and tear resistance. Conventional strengthening methods (e.g., adding Mn, adding Cu, or increasing hot-rolled strip dimensions) can have negative consequences (e.g., larger particle size, loss of formability, loss of productivity, etc.). In contrast, adding Mg maintains particle size and particle size, and, if properly controlled, can also improve ductility. In some embodiments, larger quantities of waste beverage cans can be used with the aluminum alloy described herein, thereby reducing the amount of primary aluminum required and lowering overall costs while maintaining equivalent or better rolling productivity. In addition to the high strength gained primarily due to the relative increase in Mg and Mn content, the high strength also advantageously allows for increased weight reduction (downgauging) potential.

[0020] Despite the presence of a large amount of recycled aluminum alloy, the aforementioned aluminum alloy composition still offers processing advantages, a common problem when using large quantities of recycled aluminum alloy to manufacture new aluminum alloys. The aluminum alloy described herein can be reused to manufacture other aluminum alloy products (e.g., can body blanks). Advantageously, the inclusion of a significant amount of Mg allows for closed-loop recycling of waste beverage cans (UBCs) produced from the aluminum alloy composition described herein. In this way, UBC scrap can be repeatedly reused in a closed-loop system to produce aluminum alloys without significant alterations to the alloying elements. That is, aluminum alloy products (e.g., UBCs) made from the aluminum alloy composition described herein can be used to produce new aluminum alloys for can end blanks or can body blanks. Furthermore, due to careful tailoring and element control in alloy design, the amount of Mg in UBC scrap is similar to that of the aluminum alloy composition described herein. Surprisingly, this aluminum alloy can contain up to 100% by weight of recycled aluminum scrap to produce can body blanks from UBCs. Another processing benefit is that, while the addition of Mg naturally increases strength, it allows for an increase in cold rolling mill exit temperature without loss of strength. This indicates a faster cold rolling mill speed, thereby improving the production efficiency of the cold rolling mill.

[0021] In some embodiments, this disclosure relates to an aluminum alloy having a high Mg content and a high recycled content, exhibiting properties similar to AA3004 and AA3104 aluminum alloys. For example, the aluminum alloy may contain a Mg content similar to or greater than that of AA3004 and AA3104 aluminum alloys. The aluminum alloy may contain a significant amount of recycled material and achieve properties similar to AA3104 aluminum alloy. In some embodiments, the aluminum alloy described herein may contain a Mg content of 1.30 wt% to 2.00 wt%. UBC waste can be almost entirely used to produce the aluminum alloy, thus eliminating the need to dilute the aluminum alloy with primary aluminum or add alloying elements for hardening. In other words, the customized aluminum alloy described herein may contain a larger amount of UBC waste and less primary aluminum, and contain very little or no additional alloying elements. Advantageously, the aluminum alloy may contain Cu, Mn, and Mg contents that meet the strength requirements of the tank blank. Compared to AA3104 aluminum alloy, the aluminum alloys described herein may contain a greater amount of Mg while meeting the minimum strength requirements for can body blanks and may contain Mg content ranging from 1.30 wt% to 2.00 wt%. In some respects, can end blanks may be formed from the alloys described herein, while can body blanks and can pull ring blanks may be formed using conventional alloys (such as A5182).

[0022] To maintain a high level of recyclability in the aluminum alloy composition described herein, the composition can be similar to AA3104 aluminum alloy, while containing reduced amounts of Cu and Mn. Therefore, it may not be necessary to add other hardening alloying elements (e.g., Mn and Cu) to the aluminum alloy composition. This is advantageous because hardening alloying elements (e.g., Mn and Cu) do not oxidize during the remelting process, thus affecting the recyclability of the tank body aluminum alloy or UBC composition. By maintaining an aluminum alloy composition similar to AA3104 aluminum alloy, the remelting process is simplified, reducing the need to modify the aluminum alloy during manufacturing. The aluminum alloy composition described herein contains a higher level of recyclability and less primary aluminum, while also exhibiting similar mechanical properties to current aluminum alloy compositions used for tank body blanks (e.g., similar to AA3004 or AA3104 aluminum alloys).

[0023] Definition and description As used herein, the terms “invention,” “the invention,” “this invention,” and “the present invention” are intended to broadly refer to the subject matter of this patent application and all of the following claims. Statements containing these terms should not be construed as limiting the subject matter described herein or limiting the meaning or scope of the patent claims below.

[0024] This specification references alloys identified by aluminum industry designations such as "Series" or "3xxx". For an understanding of the most commonly used numerical designation system in naming and identifying aluminum and its alloys, see "International Alloy Designations and Chemical Composition Limits for Wrought Aluminum and Wrought Aluminum Alloys" or "Registration Record of Aluminum Association Alloy Designations and Chemical Composition Limits for Aluminum Alloys in the Form of Castings and Ingots", both published by the Aluminum Association.

[0025] As used herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, “a” or “the” means both singular and plural referents.

[0026] As used herein, the thickness of a sheet is typically greater than about 15 mm. For example, a sheet may refer to an aluminum product having a thickness greater than about 15 mm, greater than about 20 mm, greater than about 25 mm, greater than about 30 mm, greater than about 35 mm, greater than about 40 mm, greater than about 45 mm, greater than about 50 mm, or greater than about 100 mm.

[0027] As used in this article, shate (also known as sheet board) typically has a thickness of about 4 mm to about 15 mm. For example, shate can have a thickness of about 4 mm, about 5 mm, about 6 mm, about 7 mm, about 8 mm, about 9 mm, about 10 mm, about 11 mm, about 12 mm, about 13 mm, about 14 mm or about 15 mm.

[0028] As used in this article, sheet material generally refers to aluminum products with a thickness of less than about 4 mm (e.g., less than 3 mm, less than 2 mm, less than 1 mm, less than 0.5 mm, less than 0.3 mm, or less than 0.1 mm). For example, the sheet may have a thickness of about 0.1 mm, about 0.2 mm, about 0.3 mm, about 0.4 mm, about 0.5 mm, about 0.6 mm, about 0.7 mm, about 0.8 mm, about 0.9 mm, about 1 mm, about 1.1 mm, about 1.2 mm, about 1.3 mm, about 1.4 mm, about 1.5 mm, about 1.6 mm, about 1.7 mm, about 1.8 mm, about 1.9 mm, about 2 mm, about 2.1 mm, about 2.2 mm, about 2.3 mm, about 2.4 mm, about 2.5 mm, about 2.6 mm, about 2.7 mm, about 2.8 mm, about 2.9 mm, about 3 mm, about 3.1 mm, about 3.2 mm, about 3.3 mm, about 3.4 mm, about 3.5 mm, about 3.6 mm, about 3.7 mm, about 3.8 mm, about 3.9 mm, or about 4 mm.

[0029] As used herein, formability refers to the ability of a material to be deformed into a desired shape without fracture, tearing, necking, lugging, or shaping errors such as wrinkling, springback, or abrasion. In engineering, formability can be classified according to deformation modes. Examples of deformation modes include drawing, stretching, bending, and stretch flanging.

[0030] As used herein, primary aluminum refers to aluminum material containing at least about 99.7% by weight aluminum. Primary aluminum is produced by the initial conversion of raw materials into aluminum (e.g., processing bauxite into alumina and electrolyzing alumina into aluminum).

[0031] As used in this article, yield stress (also known as yield strength) is the point at which an aluminum alloy begins to plastically deform and can no longer return to its original state.

[0032] Reference may be made to alloy temper or condition in this application. For the most commonly used descriptions of alloy tempering, see “American National Standards (ANSI) H35 on Alloy and Temper Designation Systems”. F temper or temper refers to the finished aluminum alloy. O temper or temper refers to the annealed aluminum alloy. Hxx temper or temper, also referred to herein as H temper, refers to non-heat-treatable aluminum alloys that have been cold-rolled and may or may not have undergone heat treatment (e.g., annealing). Suitable H tempers include HX1, HX2, HX3, HX4, HX5, HX6, HX7, HX8, or HX9 tempers. T1 temper or temper refers to aluminum alloys cooled from hot working and subjected to natural aging (e.g., at room temperature). T2 temper or temper refers to aluminum alloys cooled from hot working, cold-worked, and subjected to natural aging. T3 temper or temper refers to aluminum alloys that have undergone solution heat treatment, cold working, and natural aging. T4 temper or temper refers to aluminum alloys that have undergone solution heat treatment and natural aging. T5 temper or tempered refers to aluminum alloys that have been cooled from hot working and undergone artificial aging (at high temperature). T6 temper or tempered refers to aluminum alloys that have undergone solution heat treatment and artificial aging. T7 temper or tempered refers to aluminum alloys that have undergone solution heat treatment and artificial aging. T8x temper or tempered refers to aluminum alloys that have undergone solution heat treatment, cold working, and artificial aging. T9 temper or tempered refers to aluminum alloys that have undergone solution heat treatment, artificial aging, and cold working. W temper or tempered refers to aluminum alloys after solution heat treatment.

[0033] As used herein, "room temperature" can mean a temperature from about 15°C to about 30°C, such as about 15°C, about 16°C, about 17°C, about 18°C, about 19°C, about 20°C, about 21°C, about 22°C, about 23°C, about 24°C, about 25°C, about 26°C, about 27°C, about 28°C, about 29°C, or about 30°C.

[0034] All ranges disclosed herein should be understood to encompass both endpoints and any and all subranges included therein. For example, the range “1 to 10” should be considered to include any and all subranges between the minimum value 1 and the maximum value 10 (and including the endpoints); that is, all subranges begin with a minimum value of 1 or a number greater than 1, such as 1 to 6.1, and end with a maximum value of 10 or a number less than 10, such as 5.5 to 10.

[0035] The following aluminum alloys are described in terms of elemental composition as a percentage by weight (wt%) based on the total weight of the alloy. In some instances of each alloy, the remainder is aluminum, and the maximum wt% of the total sum of impurities is 0.15%.

[0036] Alloy composition The properties of aluminum alloys are determined at least in part by their composition. In some respects, the alloy composition may influence or even determine whether the alloy will possess the properties required for the desired application.

[0037] The alloy described herein is a novel aluminum alloy. This alloy exhibits high strength and high formability (e.g., elongation and forming characteristics suitable for tank blank applications), while incorporating a greater amount of recycled aluminum. The alloy's properties are achieved at least in part due to its elemental composition. In some cases, the novel aluminum alloy described herein can contain higher Mg content and similar Si and Fe levels compared to conventional AA3104 aluminum alloy, as further described below.

[0038] In some instances, aluminum alloys as described herein may have the following elemental compositions as provided in Table 1.

[0039] Table 1

[0040] In some instances, aluminum alloys as described herein may have the following elemental compositions as provided in Table 2.

[0041] Table 2

[0042] Silicon (Si) In some instances, the aluminum alloys described herein contain up to 0.70% (e.g., from 0.20% to 0.40%, up to 0.20%, up to 0.40%, or up to 0.60%) of Si based on the total weight of the alloy. For example, the alloy may contain 0.01%, 0.02%, 0.03%, 0.04%, 0.05%, 0.06%, 0.07%, 0.08%, 0.09%, 0.10%, 0.11%, 0.12%, 0.13%, 0.14%, 0.15%, 0.16%, 0.17%, 0.18%, 0.19%, 0.20%, 0.21%, 0.22%, 0.23%, 0.24%, 0.25%, 0.26%, 0.27%, 0.28%, 0.29%, 0.30%, 0.31%, 0.32%, 0.33%, 0.34%, 0. 0.35%, 0.36%, 0.37%, 0.38%, 0.39%, 0.40%, 0.41%, 0.42%, 0.43%, 0.44%, 0.45%, 0.46%, 0.47%, 0.48%, 0.49%, 0.50%, 0.51%, 0.52%, 0.53%, 0.54%, 0.55%, 0.56%, 0.57%, 0.58%, 0.59%, 0.60%, 0.61%, 0.62%, 0.63%, 0.64%, 0.65%, 0.66%, 0.67%, 0.68%, 0.69%, or 0.70% Si. All expressed as weight percent.

[0043] Iron (Fe) In some instances, the aluminum alloys described herein also contain up to 0.80% (e.g., 0.40% to 0.60%, up to 0.20%, up to 0.40%, or up to 0.60%) of Fe based on the total weight of the alloy. For example, the alloy may contain 0.01%, 0.02%, 0.03%, 0.04%, 0.05%, 0.06%, 0.07%, 0.08%, 0.09%, 0.10%, 0.11%, 0.12%, 0.13%, 0.14%, 0.15%, 0.16%, 0.17%, 0.18%, 0.19%, 0.20%, 0.21%, 0.22%, 0.23%, 0.24%, 0.25%, 0.26%, 0.27%, 0.28%, 0.29%, 0.30%, 0.31%, 0.32%, 0.33%, 0.34%, 0.35%, 0.36%, 0.37%, 0.38%, 0.39%, 0 0.40%, 0.41%, 0.42%, 0.43%, 0.44%, 0.45%, 0.46%, 0.47%, 0.48%, 0.49%, 0.50%, 0.51%, 0.52%, 0.53%, 0.54%, 0.55%, 0.56%, 0.57%, 0.58%, 0.59%, 0.60%, 0.61%, 0.62%, 0.63%, 0.64%, 0.65%, 0.66%, 0.67%, 0.68%, 0.69%, 0.70%, 0.71%, 0.72%, 0.73%, 0.74%, 0.75%, 0.76%, 0.77%, 0.78%, 0.79%, or 0.80% Fe. All are expressed as % by weight. In some embodiments, aluminum alloy compositions containing less than 0.20 wt% Fe may lead to processing defects. For example, aluminum alloys may exhibit poor runnability due to excessive die build-up. Runnability refers to whether the aluminum alloy exhibits defects or blockages during the production process. Furthermore, an aluminum alloy composition containing less than 0.20% by weight of Fe may limit the amount of recycled aluminum material that can be used for the alloy.

[0044] Copper (Cu) In some instances, the aluminum alloys described herein contain up to 0.60% (e.g., 0.10% to 0.30%, up to 0.20%, or up to 0.40%) of Cu based on the total weight of the alloy. For example, the alloy may contain 0.01%, 0.02%, 0.03%, 0.04%, 0.05%, 0.06%, 0.07%, 0.08%, 0.09%, 0.10%, 0.11%, 0.12%, 0.13%, 0.14%, 0.15%, 0.16%, 0.17%, 0.18%, 0.19%, 0.20%, 0.21%, 0.22%, 0.23%, 0.24%, 0.25%, 0.26%, 0.27%, 0.28%, 0.29%, 0. 0.30%, 0.31%, 0.32%, 0.33%, 0.34%, 0.35%, 0.36%, 0.37%, 0.38%, 0.39%, 0.40%, 0.41%, 0.42%, 0.43%, 0.44%, 0.45%, 0.46%, 0.47%, 0.48%, 0.49%, 0.50%, 0.51%, 0.52%, 0.53%, 0.54%, 0.55%, 0.56%, 0.57%, 0.58%, 0.59%, or 0.60% Cu. All percentages are by weight.

[0045] Manganese (Mn) In some instances, the aluminum alloys described herein may contain an amount of Mn of 0.80% to 1.50% (e.g., 0.80% to 1.40%, 0.85% to 1.30%, 0.90% to 1.20%, 0.95% to 1.25%, or 0.80% to 1.00%) based on the total weight of the alloy. For example, the alloy may contain 0.80%, 0.81%, 0.82%, 0.83%, 0.84%, 0.85%, 0.86%, 0.87%, 0.88%, 0.89%, 0.90%, 0.91%, 0.92%, 0.93%, 0.94%, 0.95%, 0.96%, 0.97%, 0.98%, 0.99%, 1.00%, 1.01%, 1.02%, 1.03%, 1.04%, 1.05%, 1.06%, 1.07%, 1.08%, 1.09%, 1.10%, 1.11%, 1.12%, 1.13%, 1.14%. %, 1.15%, 1.16%, 1.17%, 1.18%, 1.19%, 1.20%, 1.21%, 1.22%, 1.23%, 1.24%, 1.25%, 1.26%, 1.27%, 1.28%, 1.29%, 1.30%, 1.31%, 1.32%, 1.33%, 1.34%, 1.35%, 1.36%, 1.37%, 1.38%, 1.39%, 1.40%, 1.41%, 1.42%, 1.43%, 1.44%, 1.45%, 1.46%, 1.47%, 1.48%, 1.49%, or 1.50% Mn. All expressed as weight percent.

[0046] Magnesium (Mg) In some instances, the aluminum alloys described herein may contain Mg in amounts ranging from 1.30% to 2.00% (e.g., 1.35% to 1.50%, 1.40% to 1.70%, 1.30% to 1.65%, or 1.35% to 1.90%) based on the total weight of the alloy. For example, the alloy may contain 1.30%, 1.31%, 1.32%, 1.33%, 1.34%, 1.35%, 1.36%, 1.37%, 1.38%, 1.39%, 1.40%, 1.41%, 1.42%, 1.43%, 1.44%, 1.45%, 1.46%, 1.47%, 1.48%, 1.49%, 1.50%, 1.51%, 1.52%, 1.53%, 1.54%, 1.55%, 1.56%, 1.57%, 1.58%, 1.59%, 1.60%, 1.61%, 1.62%, 1.63%, 1.64%. %, 1.65%, 1.66%, 1.67%, 1.68%, 1.69%, 1.70%, 1.71%, 1.72%, 1.73%, 1.74%, 1.75%, 1.76%, 1.77%, 1.78%, 1.79%, 1.80%, 1.81%, 1.82%, 1.83%, 1.84%, 1.85%, 1.86%, 1.87%, 1.88%, 1.89%, 1.90%, 1.91%, 1.92%, 1.93%, 1.94%, 1.95%, 1.96%, 1.97%, 1.98%, 1.99% or 2.00% Mg. All expressed as weight percent.

[0047] In some cases, the novel aluminum alloys described herein may contain a higher Mg content than conventional 3xxx series aluminum alloys used for can body blank applications (e.g., 0.80 wt% to 1.30 wt%). For example, the novel aluminum alloys may contain up to about 54% more Mg than conventional 3xxx series aluminum alloys used for can body blank applications. Furthermore, the novel aluminum alloys described herein may contain one or more Cu or Mn components in lower amounts than conventional 3xxx series aluminum alloys. For example, the aluminum alloys may contain lower amounts of Cu or Mn to compensate for the increased Mg content in the novel aluminum alloys described herein. Reducing the Cu and Mn content can compensate for Mg solution hardening, thereby achieving improved can-making performance. Due to the increased Mg content and the reduced Cu and Mn content, the production of the novel aluminum alloys can avoid the addition of additional alloying elements (e.g., Mg, Cu, Mn, etc.) to the aluminum alloy composition, thereby reducing costs.

[0048] Chromium (Cr) In some instances, the aluminum alloys described herein contain up to 0.30% (e.g., up to 0.20%, up to 0.10%, up to 0.05%, up to 0.03%, 0.05% to 0.10%, or 0.06% to 0.10%) of Cr based on the total weight of the alloy. For example, the alloy may contain 0.001%, 0.002%, 0.003%, 0.004%, 0.005%, 0.006%, 0.007%, 0.008%, 0.009%, 0.01%, 0.02%, 0.03%, 0.04%, 0.05%, 0.06%, 0.07%, 0.08%, 0.09%, 0.10%, 0.11%, 0.12%, 0.13%, 0.14%, 0.15%, 0.16%, 0.17%, 0.18%, 0.19%, 0.20%, 0.21%, 0.22%, 0.23%, 0.24%, 0.25%, 0.26%, 0.27%, 0.28%, 0.29%, or 0.30% Cr. In some cases, Cr is absent in the alloy (i.e., 0%). All are expressed as a percentage by weight.

[0049] Zinc (Zn) In some instances, the aluminum alloys described herein contain up to 0.60% (e.g., up to 0.20%, up to 0.25%, up to 0.30%, up to 40%, up to 50%, 0.10% to 0.40%, 0.15% to 0.35%, or 0.20% to 0.30%) of Zn based on the total weight of the alloy. For example, the alloy may contain 0.01%, 0.02%, 0.03%, 0.04%, 0.05%, 0.06%, 0.07%, 0.08%, 0.09%, 0.10%, 0.11%, 0.12%, 0.13%, 0.14%, 0.15%, 0.16%, 0.17%, 0.18%, 0.19%, 0.20%, 0.21%, 0.22%, 0.23%, 0.24%, 0.25%, 0.26%, 0.27%, 0.28%, 0.29%, 0. 0.30%, 0.31%, 0.32%, 0.33%, 0.34%, 0.35%, 0.36%, 0.37%, 0.38%, 0.39%, 0.40%, 0.41%, 0.42%, 0.43%, 0.44%, 0.45%, 0.46%, 0.47%, 0.48%, 0.49%, 0.50%, 0.51%, 0.52%, 0.53%, 0.54%, 0.55%, 0.56%, 0.57%, 0.58%, 0.59%, or 0.60% Zn. In some cases, Zn is absent in the alloy (i.e., 0%). All are expressed as a percentage by weight.

[0050] Titanium (Ti) In some instances, the aluminum alloys described herein contain up to 0.10% (e.g., up to 0.05%, up to 0.03%, 0.05% to 0.10%, or 0.06% to 0.10%) of Ti based on the total weight of the alloy. For example, the alloy may contain 0.001%, 0.002%, 0.003%, 0.004%, 0.005%, 0.006%, 0.007%, 0.008%, 0.009%, 0.01%, 0.02%, 0.03%, 0.04%, 0.05%, 0.06%, 0.07%, 0.08%, 0.09%, 0.10%, 0.11%, 0.12%, 0.13%, 0.14%, 0.15%, 0.16%, 0.17%, 0.18%, 0.19%, or 0.20% Ti. In some cases, Ti is absent from the alloy (i.e., 0%). All figures are expressed as a percentage of weight.

[0051] Trace elements Optionally, the aluminum alloys described herein may also contain other trace elements, sometimes referred to as impurities, in amounts of 0.05% or less, 0.04% or less, 0.03% or less, 0.02% or less, or 0.01% or less. These impurities may include, but are not limited to, Sc, V, Ni, Hf, Zr, Sn, Ga, Ca, Bi, Na, Pb, or combinations thereof. Thus, Sc, V, Ni, Hf, Zr, Sn, Ga, Ca, Bi, Na, or Pb may be present in the alloy in amounts of 0.05% or less, 0.04% or less, 0.03% or less, 0.02% or less, or 0.01% or less. The total amount of all impurities shall not exceed 0.15% (e.g., 0.10%). All figures are expressed as weight percent. The remaining percentage of each alloy may be aluminum.

[0052] Recycled content The aluminum alloys described herein can withstand larger quantities of recycled aluminum scrap while still exhibiting the desired mechanical properties. By providing a customized aluminum alloy composition to compensate for impurities, the impact of impurities and / or alloying elements on the mechanical properties of the aluminum alloy is reduced. This enables the production of aluminum alloys that still exhibit the desired properties from larger quantities of cheaper, more impure recycled aluminum material (e.g., waste beverage cans). The aluminum alloy compositions described herein can contain a larger quantity of recycled aluminum alloy (e.g., at least 60% by weight), with virtually no or no additional primary aluminum, and virtually no additional alloying elements (e.g., Cu or Mn).

[0053] In some embodiments, the aluminum alloy composition described herein provides a composition highly suitable for utilizing waste beverage cans (UBC) or other aluminum alloy containers as recycling material. UBC waste is a mixture of various aluminum alloys (e.g., from different aluminum alloys used for the can body and can end) and may typically contain foreign substances such as rainwater, beverage residue, organic matter, and other materials (e.g., paint and lamination). UBC waste typically contains a mixture of metals from various aluminum alloys, such as metals from the can body (e.g., AA3104, AA3004, or other 3xxx series aluminum alloys) and the can end (e.g., AA5182 or other 5xxx series aluminum alloys). UBC waste can be shredded and decoated or stripped of paint before melting to serve as a liquid metal billet for casting new metal products.

[0054] As discussed herein, the aluminum alloy composition reduces the compositional gap between the can body blank and the can end blank, as well as between the can end blank and the can pull ring blank (both of which can be made from AA5192 alloy). This allows for the use of more recycled aluminum alloy, particularly UBC scrap, in the production of the can body blank, and reduces the amount of primary aluminum and other alloying elements (e.g., Cu or Mn). In some respects, the aluminum alloys described herein contain a significant amount of recycled aluminum scrap, in quantities of 60% or greater (e.g., 65% or greater, 70% or greater, 75% or greater, 80% or greater, 85% or greater, 90% or greater, 95% or greater, or 100%). In terms of range, the aluminum alloys described herein may contain 60% to 100% UBC scrap (e.g., 65% to 95%, 60% to 90%, 65% to 85%, 60% to 80%, 70% to 100%, or 75% to 90%). All percentages are expressed as % by weight.

[0055] As discussed above, in some aspects, UBC scrap includes alloy mixtures, said alloys including 3xxx series aluminum alloys and 5xxx series aluminum alloys. In some aspects, UBC scrap may contain 5xxx series aluminum alloys in amounts ranging from 0% to 75% (e.g., 5% to 70%, 10% to 65%, 15% to 60%, 20% to 50%, or 25% to 40%) based on the total weight of the recycled scrap. For example, UBC scrap may contain 5xxx series aluminum alloy scrap greater than 0% based on the total weight of the UBC scrap (e.g., greater than 1%, greater than 5%, greater than 10%, greater than 15%, greater than 20%, or greater than 25%). All are expressed as a percentage by weight.

[0056] In some respects, UBC scrap may contain 0% to 75% (e.g., 5% to 70%, 10% to 65%, 15% to 60%, 20% to 50%, or 25% to 40%) of 3xxx series aluminum alloy scrap (from mixed alloy scrap) based on the total weight of UBC scrap. For example, UBC scrap may contain more than 0% (e.g., more than 1%, more than 5%, more than 10%, more than 15%, more than 20%, or more than 25%) of 3xxx series aluminum alloy scrap based on the total weight of UBC scrap. All are expressed as a percentage by weight.

[0057] In some respects, the aluminum alloys described herein contain less than 15% primary aluminum (e.g., less than 14%, less than 13%, less than 12%, less than 11%, less than 10%, less than 9%, less than 8%, less than 7%, less than 6%, less than 5%, less than 4%, less than 3%, less than 2%, or less than 1%). All are expressed as a percentage by weight. In some cases, the aluminum alloys described herein may be free of primary aluminum.

[0058] characteristic In some instances, aluminum alloy products (e.g., aluminum alloy sheets) produced from the aluminum alloys described herein can have a yield strength of about 200 MPa or greater. In some cases, the yield strength is about 200 MPa to about 350 MPa, or any value in between. When measured in the longitudinal (L), transverse (T), and / or diagonal (D) directions (each corresponding to the rolling direction), the aluminum alloy products described herein can exhibit the yield strength as described herein.

[0059] In some instances, aluminum alloy products produced from the aluminum alloys described herein can have an ultimate tensile strength of about 250 MPa or greater. In some cases, the ultimate tensile strength is about 250 MPa to about 450 MPa, or any value in between. When measured in the longitudinal (L), transverse (T), and / or diagonal (D) directions (each corresponding to the rolling direction), the aluminum alloy products described herein can exhibit the ultimate tensile strength as described herein.

[0060] Methods for manufacturing aluminum alloys Figure 1This is a flowchart depicting a process 100 for producing aluminum alloy products from recycled aluminum scrap according to certain aspects of this disclosure. At block 102, the recycled aluminum scrap (e.g., UBC scrap) is melted. The scrap can be melted in any suitable container (e.g., rotary kiln, crucible furnace, etc.). The liquid metal obtained from melting the recycled aluminum scrap may contain a certain amount of alloying elements that will make the liquid metal a non-standard alloy, such as alloys not typically used for beverage components (e.g., can ends or can bodies). For example, if the recycled aluminum scrap is UBC scrap, the liquid metal may contain a combination of 3xxx series aluminum alloys typically used for producing can body blanks and 5xxx series aluminum alloys typically used for producing can end blanks.

[0061] At box 104, additional alloying elements may optionally be added to the liquid metal to produce a modified liquid metal with appropriate amounts of alloying elements. Adding alloying elements may include melting aluminum and raw elements or mixtures of alloying elements into the liquid metal from box 102. In another or alternative embodiment, primary aluminum may be added to the liquid metal to dilute certain alloying elements.

[0062] The modified liquid metal from block 104 can be cast to obtain cast product 114. In some cases, if no additional alloying elements or primary aluminum are added to the liquid metal of block 102, the liquid metal of block 102 can be directly cast to produce cast product 114. The aluminum alloys described herein can be cast to cast product 114 using a direct cooling (DC) process, or optionally using a continuous casting (CC) process. The casting process is performed according to standards commonly used in the aluminum industry as known to those skilled in the art. At block 106, a DC casting apparatus can be used to produce cast product 114. The DC casting process can form cast products (e.g., ingots). Optionally, instead of using the DC casting apparatus described with reference to block 106, the modified liquid metal from block 104 can be cast using the CC apparatus at block 107 to produce cast product 114. The CC process can include, but is not limited to, the use of a twin-belt casting machine, a twin-roll casting machine, or a block casting machine. In some instances, the casting process is performed using a CC process to form slabs, strips, etc. The cast product 114 obtained by block 106 or block 107 may contain less than 15% by weight of primary aluminum (e.g., less than 14% by weight, less than 13% by weight, less than 12% by weight, less than 11% by weight, less than 10% by weight, less than 9% by weight, less than 8% by weight, less than 7% by weight, less than 6% by weight, less than 5% by weight, less than 4% by weight, less than 3% by weight, less than 2% by weight, or less than 1% by weight of primary aluminum).

[0063] The cast product can then undergo further processing steps. Optionally, these further processing steps can be used to prepare aluminum alloy products (e.g., sheets, plates, or sheets). Such processing steps include, but are not limited to, homogenization, hot rolling, cold rolling, and optional painting. Other optional processing steps may include degreasing or lubrication. The processing steps for cast products are described below. However, with modifications known to those skilled in the art, processing steps can also be used for cast slabs or strips.

[0064] Homogenization At box 108, the cast product 114 of box 106 may be heated to a homogenization temperature during the homogenization step, such as a temperature in the range of about 400°C to about 600°C. For example, the cast product 114 may be heated to temperatures of 400°C, 410°C, 420°C, 430°C, 440°C, 450°C, 460°C, 470°C, 480°C, 490°C, 500°C, 510°C, 520°C, 530°C, 540°C, 550°C, 560°C, 570°C, 580°C, 590°C, or 600°C, or any value between them. In some embodiments, the heating rate to the peak metal temperature may be about 70°C / hour or less, about 60°C / hour or less, or about 50°C / hour or less. The cast product 114 may then be allowed to be immersed (i.e., held at a specified temperature) for a period of time to form a homogenized product 116. In some instances, the total time for the homogenization step (including the heating and soaking stages) can be up to about 10 hours (e.g., up to 9 hours, up to 8 hours, up to 7 hours, up to 6 hours, up to 5 hours, up to 4 hours, up to 3 hours, up to 2 hours, or up to 1 hour).

[0065] Hot rolling Following the homogenization step, a hot rolling step can be performed at block 110. In some aspects, the homogenized product 116 can be hot-rolled using a rolling mill to produce a hot-rolled product 118 with intermediate specifications. In other or alternative aspects, the cast product 114 of block 107 can be hot-rolled at block 110 to produce the hot-rolled product 118. The hot rolling step can include hot reversible mill operation or hot tandem mill operation. Before starting hot rolling, the homogenized product 116 can be cooled to a desired temperature (e.g., about 200°C to about 425°C). For example, the homogenized product 116 can be cooled to temperatures of about 200°C to about 400°C, about 250°C to about 375°C, about 300°C to about 425°C, or about 350°C to about 400°C. The homogenized product 116 can then be hot-rolled at a hot rolling temperature of about 200°C to about 550°C to produce the hot-rolled product 118 (e.g., hot-rolled plate, hot-rolled sheet, or hot-rolled roll). For example, the hot rolling step can be carried out at hot rolling temperatures of about 250°C to about 300°C, about 300°C to about 500°C, or about 350°C to about 450°C.

[0066] cold rolling At box 112, a cold rolling mill can be used to cold roll the hot-rolled product 118 into a thinner aluminum alloy product, such as the final rolled product 120. In some respects, the cold rolling step reduces the cold-worked thickness of the hot-rolled product 118 by at least 80% (e.g., at least 90%, at least 95%, or about 85% to about 95%). For example, the cold rolling step reduces the thickness of the hot-rolled product 118 by about 81%, about 82%, about 83%, about 84%, about 85%, about 86%, about 87%, about 88%, about 89%, about 90%, about 91%, about 92%, about 93%, about 94%, or about 95%. The final rolled product 120 may have a thickness between about 0.20 and about 0.35 mm (e.g., between about 0.20 and about 0.30 mm) or between about 0.008 and about 0.013 inches. Optionally, the final rolled product 120 may have a thickness of about 0.20 mm, about 0.21 mm, about 0.22 mm, about 0.23 mm, about 0.24 mm, about 0.25 mm, about 0.26 mm, about 0.27 mm, about 0.28 mm, about 0.29 mm, about 0.30 mm, about 0.31 mm, about 0.32 mm, about 0.33 mm, about 0.34 mm, or about 0.35 mm. In some embodiments, the cold rolling step may include one or more cold rolling steps to achieve the desired thickness reduction. Optionally, the process for producing the aluminum alloy may include an annealing step applied during or after the cold rolling step (e.g., between one or more cold rolling steps).

[0067] Defatting Several optional steps can be performed after the cold rolling step. Figure 2 This is a flowchart of a process 200 for treating a rolled product 120 of a final specification made from a high-strength, high-recycled aluminum alloy prior to downstream processing for use as a can body blank, according to certain aspects of this disclosure. For example, the process 200 described herein may optionally include at least one degreasing step applied to the rolled product 120 of the final specification at block 202. As used herein, the term "degreasing" includes processing the rolled product 120 of the final specification to remove residual oil accumulated on the surface during hot and cold rolling. The degreasing step may also remove surface debris, rolling oil, and aluminum micropowder remaining from the rolling process. The degreased surface imparts an improved surface appearance to the rolled product 120 of the final specification and reduces the accumulation of aluminum micropowder during downstream processing, such as during the cup-making process for can body production. The degreasing agent used in the degreasing step may include water and / or a solvent. Optionally, the water used in the degreasing step may be hot water (i.e., water at a temperature of at least about 35°C, such as water from about 35°C to about 100°C). In some cases, the degreasing agent may include acidic or alkaline agents. For example, acidic agents suitable for the degreasing step include phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, or mixtures thereof. In some cases, the degreasing agent may include a wetting agent. Optionally, the degreasing agent may be used in conjunction with electrochemical cleaning. In some cases, the level of degreasing is controlled by the concentration of the agent, the current density, the degreasing time, and / or the temperature of the degreasing section. After degreasing, the rolled product 120 of the final specification may be rinsed with water and dried, and then lubricated. In some aspects, a post-annealing process may be applied. For example, a post-annealing process may include immersion at a temperature of 150°C to 250°C for up to 5 hours.

[0068] lubricating For example, after the cold rolling step, the rolled product 120 of the final specification may optionally undergo a lubrication step at box 204. The process described herein may optionally include at least one lubrication step applied to the aluminum alloy product. As used herein, the term "lubrication" includes processing the aluminum alloy product to apply a lubricant for subsequent cup-making production. Optionally, the applied lubricant may be a dry film lubricant. In some cases, the lubricant may be applied uniformly. In some cases, the lubrication step eliminates the need for additional lubricant in downstream processing (e.g., during cup-making).

[0069] Usage and downstream processing The aluminum alloy products and methods described herein can be used to manufacture beverage cans, food containers, or any other desired applications. In some instances, the aluminum alloy products and methods can be used to manufacture beverage can bodies. The aluminum alloy products described herein can be used for downstream processing at block 208, such as in a cup-making process. The cup-making process may include cutting a disc of rolled product 120 to its final dimensions and forming the disc into a cup, which can be further processed into a beverage can body. Beverage cans manufactured using beverage can bodies can have filling capacities or can sizes of 8.4 oz, 12 oz standard (e.g., with a height of approximately 122.22 mm), 12 oz elongated (e.g., with a height of approximately 156.59 mm), 16 oz, 19.2 oz, 24 oz, 222 mL, 250 mL, 330 mL, 350 mL, or 500 mL.

[0070] Painting Subsequently, the beverage can may optionally undergo a painting step at box 206. The painting step may apply a coating to the beverage can at a temperature of 150°C to 400°C for 1 second to 10 minutes. For example, the beverage can may be painted at temperatures of 150°C to 400°C, 200°C to 400°C, 250°C to 350°C, 200°C to 300°C, or 300°C to 400°C. The peak metal temperature range of the beverage can during the painting process may be 100°C to 300°C (e.g., 125°C to 275°C, 150°C to 250°C, or 200°C to 300°C).

[0071] Example Example 1: An aluminum alloy comprising up to 0.70 wt% Si, up to 0.80 wt% Fe, up to 0.60 wt% Cu, 0.80–2.00 wt% Mn, 1.30–1.50 wt% Mg, up to 0.60 wt% Zn, up to 0.30 wt% Cr, up to 0.10 wt% Ti, up to 0.15 wt% impurities, and Al, wherein the aluminum alloy comprises at least 60 wt% recycled aluminum scrap.

[0072] Example 2: An aluminum alloy as described in Example 1, comprising 0.20–0.40 wt% Si, 0.40–0.60 wt% Fe, 0.10–0.30 wt% Cu, 0.80–1.00 wt% Mn, 1.35–1.50 wt% Mg, up to 0.25 wt% Zn, up to 0.05 wt% Cr, up to 0.05 wt% Ti, up to 0.15 wt% impurities, and Al.

[0073] Example 3: An aluminum alloy as described in Example 1, wherein the aluminum alloy contains more than 75% by weight of recycled aluminum scrap.

[0074] Example 4: An aluminum alloy as described in Example 1, wherein the aluminum alloy contains less than 15% by weight of primary aluminum.

[0075] Example 5: An aluminum alloy as described in Example 4, wherein the aluminum alloy contains less than 5% by weight of primary aluminum.

[0076] Example 6: An aluminum alloy as described in any one of Examples 1-5, wherein the aluminum alloy exhibits a yield strength of at least 200 MPa, preferably 200 to 350 MPa.

[0077] Example 7: An aluminum alloy as described in any one of Examples 1-6, wherein the aluminum alloy exhibits an ultimate tensile strength of at least 250 MPa, preferably 250 to 450 MPa.

[0078] Example 8: An aluminum alloy as described in any one of Examples 1-7, wherein the aluminum alloy comprises up to 100% by weight of recycled aluminum scrap.

[0079] Example 9: An aluminum alloy as described in any one of Examples 1-8, wherein the recycled aluminum scrap includes waste beverage cans.

[0080] Example 10: An aluminum alloy as described in Example 9, wherein the waste beverage cans comprise a mixture of recycled metals from the can ends and the can body.

[0081] Example 11: A tank body blank comprising an aluminum alloy as described in any one of Examples 1-10.

[0082] Example 12: A method for producing an aluminum alloy product, the method comprising: casting an aluminum alloy to form a cast product, wherein the aluminum alloy comprises the aluminum alloy as described in Example 1; homogenizing the cast product; hot rolling the cast product to produce a hot-rolled product; cold rolling the hot-rolled product to produce an aluminum alloy product; and optionally annealing the aluminum alloy product.

[0083] Example 13: The method as described in Example 12, wherein the casting step includes continuously casting the aluminum alloy to form the cast product.

[0084] Example 14: The method as described in Example 12, wherein the casting step includes directly cooling the aluminum alloy to form the cast product.

[0085] Example 15: The method described in Example 12 further includes painting and curing the aluminum alloy product.

[0086] Example 16: The method as described in Example 12, wherein the aluminum alloy comprises more than 75% by weight of recycled aluminum scrap.

[0087] Example 17: The method as described in Example 12, wherein the aluminum alloy contains less than 15% by weight of primary aluminum.

[0088] Example 18: The method as described in Example 17, wherein the aluminum alloy contains less than 5% by weight of primary aluminum.

[0089] Example 19: A metal product, wherein the metal product is prepared by a method comprising any one of Examples 12-18.

[0090] Example 20: A metal product as described in Example 19, wherein the metal product is a can body blank.

[0091] Example 21: A metal product as described in Example 19, wherein the metal product is a beverage can comprising a body blank made of an aluminum alloy as described in Example 1 and a can end blank made of a 5xxx series aluminum alloy.

[0092] Example 22: The metal product as described in Example 21, wherein the can end blank is prepared using AA5182.

[0093] Example 23: A metal product as described in Example 19, wherein the metal product is a beverage can comprising a can end blank made of an aluminum alloy as described in Example 1 and a can body blank and / or can end blank made of a 5xxx series aluminum alloy.

[0094] The following examples are intended to further illustrate the present invention, but do not constitute any limitation thereof. Rather, it should be clearly understood that various other embodiments, modifications, and equivalents thereof will arise in those skilled in the art after reading this specification without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0095] In the research process described in the following embodiments, conventional procedures are followed unless otherwise stated. Some procedures are described below for illustrative purposes.

[0096] Example Example 1 The sample aluminum alloys were tested to determine the properties of the aluminum alloys described herein. Comparative Examples 1-3 and Example 1 were prepared according to the methods described herein. Comparative Examples 1-3 were prepared from conventional 3xxx series aluminum alloys used as tank body blanks. Specifically, Comparative Example 1 was prepared from AA3004 aluminum alloy, Comparative Example 2 from AA3104 aluminum alloy, and Comparative Example 3 from AA3104 aluminum alloy. Example 1 was prepared from the aluminum alloy described herein. Table 3 provides the aluminum alloy composition for each of Comparative Examples 1-3 and Example 1.

[0097] As shown in Table 3, Comparative Examples 1-3 contain less Mg compared to Example 1. Since Example 1 has a similar composition to Comparative Example 3 (i.e., AA3104 aluminum alloy), these aluminum alloys can be produced from a larger amount of recycled UBC waste containing similar amounts of Fe, Si, Cu, and Mn. This eliminates the need to dilute the aluminum alloy of Example 1 with primary aluminum or add additional hardening elements, thereby reducing manufacturing and environmental costs. Furthermore, by maintaining an aluminum alloy composition similar to that of AA3104 aluminum alloy, the remelting process can be simplified to reduce process changes during manufacturing. The aluminum alloy composition of Example 1 is similar to that of conventional AA3104 aluminum alloy used for tank blanks, except for a higher Mg content, which enables a simpler remelting process that allows for complete recycling while minimizing changes in alloy composition.

[0098] Furthermore, the recycling content will be significantly higher due to the greatly reduced demand for primary aluminum or hardening elements. In contrast, conventional 3xxx series aluminum alloys used for tank blank applications would require Mg dilution during casting from UBC. As shown in Table 4, Comparative Example 3 contains 6.90 wt% primary aluminum, while Example 1 contains 4.30 wt% primary aluminum. The aluminum alloys described herein contain at least 2.70 wt% less primary aluminum than AA3104 aluminum alloy, which can significantly reduce costs and improve sustainability by reducing the use of primary aluminum. Additionally, Example 1 can incorporate a larger amount of UBC scrap instead of primary aluminum because the alloy can tolerate a larger amount of Mg. For example, Comparative Example 3 contains 75.00 wt% UBC scrap, while Example 1 contains 77.90 wt% UBC scrap.

[0099] Furthermore, the increased Mg content, combined with the decreased Cu and Mn levels, increases the recyclability of the aluminum alloy while still providing properties comparable to current 3xxx series aluminum alloys used in tank blank applications. The alloy composition can be further enhanced by slightly reducing Mn and Cu to compensate for the higher Mg content, thereby increasing the recyclability while maintaining physical properties comparable to current 3xxx series aluminum alloys used in tank blank applications (e.g., AA3104).

[0100] All patents, publications, and abstracts cited above are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Various embodiments of the invention have been described to achieve the various objectives of the invention. It should be understood that these embodiments are for illustrative purposes only. Various modifications and alterations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims

1. An aluminum alloy comprising up to 0.70 wt. % Si, up to 0.80 wt. % Fe, up to 0.60 wt. % Cu, 0.80 - 1.50 wt. % Mn, 1.30 - 2.00 wt. % Mg, up to 0.60 wt. % Zn, up to 0.30 wt. % Cr, up to 0.10 wt. % Ti, up to 0.15 wt. % of impurities, and Al, wherein the aluminum alloy comprises at least 60 wt. % recycled aluminum scrap.

2. The aluminum alloy of claim 1, comprising 0.20 - 0.40 wt. % Si, 0.40 - 0.60 wt. % Fe, 0.10 - 0.30 wt. % Cu, 0.80 - 1.00 wt. % Mn, 1.35 - 1.50 wt. % Mg, up to 0.25 wt. % Zn, up to 0.05 wt. % Cr, up to 0.05 wt. % Ti, up to 0.15 wt. % of impurities, and Al.

3. The aluminum alloy of claim 1, wherein the aluminum alloy comprises greater than 75 wt. % recycled aluminum scrap.

4. The aluminum alloy of claim 1, wherein the aluminum alloy comprises less than 15 wt. % primary aluminum.

5. The aluminum alloy of claim 4, wherein the aluminum alloy comprises less than 5 wt. % primary aluminum.

6. The aluminum alloy of any one of claims 1-5, wherein the aluminum alloy exhibits a yield strength of at least 200 MPa, preferably 200 to 350 MPa.

7. The aluminum alloy of any one of claims 1-6, wherein the aluminum alloy exhibits an ultimate tensile strength of at least 250 MPa, preferably 250 to 450 MPa.

8. The aluminum alloy of any one of claims 1-7, wherein the aluminum alloy comprises up to 100 wt. % recycled aluminum scrap.

9. The aluminum alloy of any one of claims 1-8, wherein the recycled aluminum scrap comprises scrap beverage can scrap.

10. The aluminum alloy of claim 9, wherein the scrap beverage can scrap comprises a recycled metal mixture from can ends and can bodies.

11. A food or beverage package comprising the aluminum alloy of any one of claims 1-10.

12. A can body blank comprising the aluminum alloy of any one of claims 1-10.

13. A method of producing an aluminum alloy product, the method comprising: casting an aluminum alloy to form a cast product, wherein the aluminum alloy comprises the aluminum alloy of claim 1; homogenizing the cast product; hot rolling the cast product to produce a hot rolled product; cold rolling the hot rolled product to produce an aluminum alloy product; and optionally annealing the aluminum alloy product.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the casting step comprises continuously casting the aluminum alloy to form the cast product.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the casting step comprises direct-chill casting the aluminum alloy to form the cast product. ​ 16. The method of claim 123, further comprising painting and curing the aluminum alloy product.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the aluminum alloy comprises greater than 75 wt% recycled aluminum scrap.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the aluminum alloy comprises less than 15 wt% virgin aluminum.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the aluminum alloy comprises less than 5 wt% virgin aluminum.

20. A metal product, wherein the metal product is produced by a method comprising any one of claims 13-19.

21. The metal product of claim 20, wherein the metal product is a food or beverage package.

22. The metal product of claim 20, wherein the metal product is a can body blank.

23. The metal product of claim 20, wherein the metal product is a beverage can comprising a can body blank produced using the aluminum alloy of claim 1 and a can end blank produced using a 5xxx series aluminum alloy.

24. The metal product of claim 23, wherein the can end blank is produced using AA5182.

25. The metal product of claim 20, wherein the metal product is a beverage can comprising a can end blank produced using the aluminum alloy of claim 1 and a can body blank and / or can end blank produced using a 5xxx series aluminum alloy.

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