High-temperature aluminum alloy

Abstract

An alloy that can include iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and aluminum (Al). Fe can range from 1% to 5.8% by weight of the alloy, and Mn can range from 1.2% to 9.1% by weight of the alloy. The alloy can further include one or more of silicon (Si), nickel (Ni), and zirconium (Zr). Additionally, the alloy can include copper (Cu), magnesium (Mg), Zr, and Al, where Cu can range from 0.8% to 5.1% by weight of the alloy, Mg can range from 0.5% to 3.9% by weight of the alloy, Zr can range from 0.3% to 10% by weight of the alloy, and the alloy can further include one or more of manganese, lithium, titanium, silicon, iron, and nickel.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefits of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 578,639, filed August 24, 2023; U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 584,282, filed September 21, 2023; and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 657,757, filed June 7, 2024, all of which are entitled “HIGH TEMPERATURE ALUMINUM ALLOYS FOR LASERPOWDER BED FUSION”, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure generally relates to alloys, and more specifically to aluminum alloys. Background Technology

[0004] Additive manufacturing (AM) processes involve accumulating layers of material on a build plate using a stored geometric model to produce three-dimensional (3D) objects with features defined by the model. AM technology is capable of printing complex parts using a variety of materials, such as powders with compositions and alloys disclosed herein. 3D objects are manufactured based on computer-aided design (CAD) models. AM processes can create solid 3D objects directly from CAD models without additional tools.

[0005] One example of AM (Advanced Microscopy) processes is powder bed fusion (PBF), which uses lasers, electron beams, or other energy sources to sinter or melt metal powder deposited in a powder bed, thereby agglomerating powder particles together in a target area to produce a 3D structure with the desired geometry. Different materials or combinations of materials, such as metals, plastics, and ceramics, can be used in PBF to create 3D objects. Other and / or more advanced AM technologies, including those discussed further below, are also available or under development, and each is applicable to this disclosure.

[0006] Another example of AM (Advanced Metallurgy) processes is the Binder Jet (BJ) process, which uses a powder bed (similar to PBF) where metal powder is dispersed in layers and bonded together using an organic binder. The resulting part is a green part, which requires burning off the binder and sintering to coalesce the layers into full density. The metal powder material can have the same chemical composition and similar physical properties as PBF powder.

[0007] Another example of AM (Advanced Metallurgy) processes is called Directed Energy Deposition (DED). DED is an AM technology that uses lasers, electron beams, plasma, or other energy supply methods, such as those used in tungsten inert gas (TIG) or metallic inert gas (MIG) welding, to melt metal powder or wire and rod, transforming them into solid metallic objects. Unlike many AM technologies, DED is not based on a powder bed. Instead, DED uses a feed nozzle to propel powder or a mechanical feed system to deliver wire and rod into a laser beam, electron beam, plasma beam, or other energy beam. The powdered metal or wire and rod is then fused by the corresponding energy beam. While supports or free-form substrates can be used in some cases to hold the structure being built, almost all raw materials (powder, wire, and rod) in DED are transformed into solid metal, leaving virtually no waste powder for recycling. Using a layer-by-layer strategy, a printhead consisting of an energy beam and a raw material feed system can scan the substrate to deposit consecutive layers directly from the CAD model.

[0008] PBF, BJ, DED, and other AM processes may use a variety of raw materials, such as metal powders, wires, and bars. Raw materials can be made from a variety of metallic materials. These metallic materials may include, for example, aluminum or aluminum alloys. Using aluminum alloys with properties that improve functionality in AM processes may be advantageous. For example, particle shape, powder size, bulk density, melting point, flowability, stiffness, porosity, surface texture, electrostatic charge density, and other physical and chemical properties can affect the performance of aluminum alloys as materials for AM. Similarly, raw materials for AM processes can be in the form of wires and bars, whose chemical composition and physical properties can affect the material's properties. Some alloys can affect one or more of these or other properties that influence the performance of alloys used in AM.

[0009] Metal alloys, such as aluminum alloys, are frequently used in a variety of engineering applications, such as automotive and aerospace. In many applications, these engineering applications can benefit from alloys that offer high performance and sustainability. Furthermore, economical alloys may be more advantageous, for example, when alloys including rare and / or expensive elements may be impractical for relatively large-scale and / or commercial applications.

[0010] Most existing alloys are unsuitable for additive manufacturing (AM) applications, such as selective laser melting (SLM) and / or powder bed fusion (PBF). For example, not all alloys are suitable for rapid consolidation via AM; this may involve relatively small weld pools and / or potentially very high cooling rates from liquid to solid, such as approximately 10⁻⁶. 3 ℃ / s to approximately 10 6Cooling rate of ℃ / s. For example, AM processes using alloys typically used in conventional manufacturing (i.e., non-AM manufacturing) can result in unacceptable microstructures and / or other properties of these alloys (e.g., leading to defective and / or unsafe products).

[0011] In view of the above, there is a need for high-temperature and / or high-performance alloys, as well as economically viable alloys, for AM (Advanced Metal Additive Manufacturing) in various automotive, aerospace, and / or other engineering applications. This disclosure describes alloys, such as SLM, PBF, DED, etc., that can be implemented and used in AM processes. In this way, for example, additive manufacturing structures of the alloys disclosed in this disclosure can be produced. The alloys of this disclosure can provide improved performance for AM in automotive, aerospace, and / or other engineering applications. The alloys can produce improved properties in AM environments, such as high strength (e.g., yield strength), ductility, fracture toughness, fatigue strength, corrosion resistance, high-temperature strength, elongation, and / or any combination thereof. Furthermore, the application of the alloys of this disclosure is economically feasible, for example, in commercial environments and / or production scales of AM in automotive, aerospace, and / or other engineering applications. Summary of the Invention

[0012] This document describes one or more alloys and alloy compositions, as well as various aspects of methods for manufacturing and / or using them. For example, one or more alloys or compositions thereof may be aluminum alloys. The one or more alloys may be used in three-dimensional (3D) printing and / or additive manufacturing to produce additively manufactured structures. Illustratively, alloys may include compositions containing multiple materials, such as elements, metals, etc.

[0013] This disclosure also provides alloys and their chemical compositions, such as aluminum alloys, which are developed in-house and readily additively manufactured. The alloys exhibit good resistance to hot cracking and ultra-high strength at room temperature in the printed state, while retaining more than six percent (i.e., 6%) of ductility (i.e., elongation before fracture / breakage). The alloys can be heat-treated to obtain even higher strength. The strengthening precipitates are thermally stable, which is ideal for high-temperature applications of the disclosed alloys.

[0014] Adding zirconium (Zr) to aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), and magnesium (Mg) alloys (i.e., Al-Cu-Mg-Zr) can help eliminate crack formation during additive manufacturing by providing nucleation sites for a finer grain microstructure. At room temperature, the printed alloys can exhibit yield strengths of 450 MPa and 500 MPa. Furthermore, at room temperature, the printed alloys can exhibit tensile strength / ultimate tensile strengths of 486 MPa and 500 MPa. At temperatures up to 250 degrees Celsius (i.e., 250 °C), alloys (e.g., DivMat-C3 AP, corresponding to compositions comprising Al-Cu-Mg-Zr-Mn) show superior strength compared to competitors. The copper-to-magnesium ratio (i.e., Cu / Mg) can have values ​​ranging from 3 to 1 (i.e., a Cu / Mg ratio ∈ [1,3]) to produce the desired precipitates. Tensile strength and ultimate tensile strength are used interchangeably in this disclosure and have the same meaning, namely, the maximum mechanical tensile (tensile) stress at the point of failure / fracture of the specimen / sample. Yield strength refers to the point at which the specimen / sample undergoes plastic deformation. Elongation is the percentage by which a material is stretched beyond its original length before fracture. Elongation is measured by dividing the change in length of the material sample by its original length, then multiplying by 100 to convert elongation to a percentage.

[0015] According to some configurations of this disclosure, an alloy may include iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and aluminum (Al). Fe in the alloy may be from 1% to at most 5.8% of the alloy weight (i.e., Fe ∈ [1%, 5.8%]). Mn in the alloy may be from 1.2% to at most 9.1% of the alloy weight (i.e., Mn ∈ [1.2%, 9.1%]). Aluminum (Al) may include a balance of alloy weight percentage, which is 100% of the alloy weight minus the sum of the weight percentages of other elements / components constituting (i.e., all elements / components other than Al) of the alloy. For example, if an alloy includes elements / components X, Y, and Z, where X is 5% of the alloy weight and Y is 7% of the alloy weight, then the balance (i.e., the weight percentage of Z in the alloy) may be 88% of the alloy weight. In one configuration, the alloy may further include one or more of the elements silicon (Si), nickel (Ni), and zirconium (Zr). In one configuration, Si in the alloy can be up to 3.9% of the alloy weight (i.e., Si ≤ 3.9%). In one configuration, Ni in the alloy can be up to 7.6% of the alloy weight (i.e., Ni ≤ 7.6%). In one configuration, Zr in the alloy can be up to 3.8% of the alloy weight (i.e., Zr ≤ 3.8%).

[0016] In some configurations of this disclosure, an alloy may include copper (Cu), magnesium (Mg), zirconium (Zr), and aluminum (Al). The Cu in the alloy may be from 0.8% to at most 5.1% of the alloy weight (i.e., Cu ∈ [0.8%, 5.1%]). The Mg in the alloy may be from 0.5% to at most 3.9% of the alloy weight (i.e., Mg ∈ [0.5%, 3.9%]). The Zr in the alloy may be from 0.3% to at most 5.8% of the alloy weight (i.e., Zr ∈ [0.3%, 5.8%]). Aluminum (Al) may include the balance as a percentage of the alloy weight. In one configuration, an alloy may include one or more of the elements manganese (Mn), lithium (Li), titanium (Ti), silicon (Si), iron (Fe), and nickel (Ni). In one configuration, the Mn in the alloy may be at most 7.7% of the alloy weight (i.e., Mn ≤ 7.7%). In one configuration, Li in the alloy may be up to 2.1% by weight of the alloy (i.e., Li ≤ 2.1%). In one configuration, Ti in the alloy may be up to 6.4% by weight of the alloy (i.e., Ti ≤ 6.4%). In one configuration, Si in the alloy may be up to 3.8% by weight of the alloy (i.e., Si ≤ 3.8%). In one configuration, Fe in the alloy may be up to 1.5% by weight of the alloy (i.e., Fe ≤ 1.5%). In one configuration, Ni in the alloy may be up to 1.5% by weight of the alloy (i.e., Ni ≤ 1.5%). In one configuration, the alloy may include a Cu / Mg ratio (i.e., Cu / Mg ratio ∈ [1, 3]) in the range of 1 to 3, including the endpoints of this range.

[0017] In one aspect of this disclosure, the alloys of this disclosure may be configured with a balance of Al. In some aspects, the balance of Al in the alloy may contain trace impurities of up to 0.1% by weight (cumulative) and up to 0.01% (individual).

[0018] It should be understood that other aspects of the alloy will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, in which only a few embodiments are shown and described by way of illustration. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the alloy, alloy composition, and structure, and the method for manufacturing the alloy into a structure, can have other different embodiments, and that certain details can be modified in various other ways, all without departing from the invention. Therefore, the drawings and detailed descriptions should be considered illustrative in nature rather than restrictive. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The accompanying drawings illustrate, by way of example and not limitation, various aspects of alloys that can be used in additive manufacturing, such as in automotive, aerospace and / or other engineering environments, wherein:

[0020] Figure 1A-1D Various side views of a 3D printer system according to one aspect of this disclosure are shown.

[0021] Figure 1E A functional block diagram of a 3D printer system according to one aspect of this disclosure is shown.

[0022] Figure 2A-2C An alloy structure according to one aspect of this disclosure is shown.

[0023] Figure 3 A unit cell of a structure according to one aspect of this disclosure is shown.

[0024] Figure 4 The relationship between yield strength and temperature for different alloys is shown.

[0025] Figure 5 The relationship between the ultimate tensile strength and temperature of different alloys is shown.

[0026] Figure 6 The relationship between elongation and temperature for different alloys is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The specific embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are intended to provide a description of various exemplary embodiments of aluminum alloys and are not intended to represent only embodiments in which the invention can be implemented. The term "exemplary" as used throughout this disclosure means "serving as an example, instance, or illustration" and is not necessarily construed as preferred or superior to other embodiments presented in this disclosure. Specific details are included in the detailed description for the purpose of providing a thorough and complete disclosure that fully communicates the scope of this disclosure to those skilled in the art. However, the techniques and methods of this disclosure can be practiced without these specific details. In some cases, well-known structures and components may be shown in block diagram form or omitted entirely to avoid obscuring the various concepts given in this disclosure.

[0028] One or more aspects of this disclosure may be described within the context of relevant art. Nothing described herein should be construed as an admission of prior art unless expressly stated herein.

[0029] In one aspect of this disclosure, alloys are described. For example, this disclosure describes high-performance and / or high-temperature aluminum alloys. These alloys can be used in 3D printers and / or AM processes. For example, the disclosed alloys may include materials sintered or melted by a laser beam within a powder bed melting (PBF) 3D printer.

[0030] In one aspect of this disclosure, the disclosed alloys can acquire various properties through one or a combination of processes including solid solution strengthening, strain hardening, precipitation strengthening, and / or dispersion strengthening. The processes of solid solution strengthening, strain hardening, precipitation strengthening, grain or phase boundary strengthening, and / or dispersion strengthening can occur during consolidation, subsequent heat treatment, intermediate cold working, or some combination thereof.

[0031] The consolidation process and subsequent solid-state cooling in AM can differ from those occurring using conventional techniques. For example, consolidation in PBF processing occurs at the microscale, layer by layer, with each layer undergoing one or more cycles of melting, consolidation, and cooling. In such a process, melting can begin at approximately 610°C and end at approximately 696°C. Due to the small size of the molten pool, the cooling rate is significantly higher than with conventional techniques (e.g., the cooling rate can be approximately 10). 3 ℃ / second to approximately 10 6 (℃ / second). Therefore, non-equilibrium thermodynamics and phase transformation kinetics can become the main driving factors in the AM process, causing the alloy to exhibit different properties from AM, for example, through inherited element supersaturation and alloy partitioning.

[0032] Therefore, in one aspect of this disclosure, high-performance alloys that can be used in AM (e.g., PBF process) and provide AM performance are described. The properties of these alloys of this disclosure can be improved in the printed state, for example, after undergoing heat treatment (post-AM), or in some combination of both the printed state and after heat treatment.

[0033] In one example configuration, one or more alloys of this disclosure can be tailored for superior strengthening, wherein the one or more alloys will have high ultimate tensile strength at both room temperature and high temperature. In another exemplary configuration, one or more alloys of this disclosure can be designed for superior ductility, wherein the one or more alloys will have high elongation at both room temperature and high temperature.

[0034] One or more alloys disclosed herein can be specifically designed to accommodate the high temperatures, rapid melting, consolidation, and / or cooling experienced by the alloys in AM (e.g., PBF process). For example, the alloying elements and their concentrations (i.e., the elemental weight percentages of the alloy) can be configured such that intermetallic compounds can be formed with other alloying elements during rapid cooling. Furthermore, the alloying elements and their concentrations can be configured based on the liquid and / or solid solubility of the alloying elements in an aluminum matrix. The alloying elements and their concentrations can be configured such that the alloying elements can form supersaturated solid solutions and / or nanoprecipitates after rapid consolidation and cooling during AM (e.g., PBF process). The alloying elements and their concentrations can be configured to form intermetallic compounds and their phases during subsequent heat treatments (e.g., including precipitation heat treatment and / or hot isostatic pressing (HIP)). Finally, the alloying elements and their concentrations can be configured to form target-specific intermetallic compounds during rapid consolidation and cooling, such that the resulting phases can enhance the properties of one or more alloys disclosed herein. Furthermore, the configuration of the alloying elements and their concentrations can result in the formation of phases that improve the mechanical properties of one or more alloys disclosed herein during subsequent heat treatments.

[0035] Figure 1A -D illustrates various side views of an exemplary 3D printer system.

[0036] In this example, the 3D printer system is a powder bed fusion (PBF) system 100. Figure 1A -D indicates the PBF system 100 during different operational phases. Figure 1A The specific implementation shown in -D is one of many suitable examples of PBF systems employing the principles of this disclosure. It should also be noted that in this disclosure… Figure 1A -D and other elements in the accompanying figures are not necessarily drawn to scale, but may be drawn larger or smaller for the purpose of better illustrating the concepts described herein.

[0037] The PBF system 100 can be an electron beam PBF system 100, a laser PBF system 100, or other types of PBF system 100. Furthermore, other types of 3D printing, such as directed energy deposition, selective laser melting, binder jetting, etc., can be employed without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0038] The PBF system 100 may include a depositor 101 capable of depositing each layer of powder 117, an energy beam source 103 capable of generating an energy beam 127, a deflector 105 capable of applying the energy beam to fuse the powder material, and a build plate 107 capable of supporting one or more components (e.g., component 109). Although the terms “fuse” and / or “fusing” are used to describe the mechanical bonding of powder particles, other mechanical actions, such as sintering, melting, and / or other electrical, mechanical, electromechanical, electrochemical, and / or chemical bonding methods, are also considered to be within the scope of this disclosure.

[0039] The PBF system 100 may also include a build plate 111 positioned within a powder bed container. The powder bed container walls 112 typically define the boundaries of the powder bed container, which is laterally sandwiched between the powder bed container walls and abuts a portion of the build plate below. The build plate may be gradually lowered to allow the depositor to deposit the next layer. The entire assembly may be located within a chamber 313, which may enclose other components to protect the equipment, allow for atmospheric and temperature regulation, and mitigate the risk of contamination. The depositor may include a hopper 115 for containing powder (e.g., metal powder) and a leveler 119 that can level the top of each deposited layer of powder.

[0040] AM processes can use a variety of metal powders, such as one or more alloys disclosed herein. Figure 1A-1D The specific embodiments shown are suitable examples of PBF systems employing the principles of this disclosure. Specifically, one or more alloys (such as aluminum alloys) described herein can be used. Figure 1A -D describes at least one PBF system 100. While one or more alloys described in this disclosure may be suitable for various AM processes (e.g., using PBF systems, such as...) Figure 1A (as shown in -D), but it should be understood that one or more alloys of this disclosure can also be used in other applications. For example, one or more alloys described herein can be used in other manufacturing occasions or fields without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Therefore, AM processes using one or more alloys of this disclosure are considered illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure.

[0041] Prior to use in PBF system 100, alloying elements (which may be aluminum alloys) can be combined into a composition according to one of the examples / configurations described herein. For example, the various concentrations of elements described in one of the examples / configurations of this disclosure can be combined when the elements are melted. The composition can be mixed while the elements are melting, for example to promote uniform distribution of the elements with the balance matrix material (which may be aluminum). The molten composition can be cooled and atomized. Atomization of the composition can produce a metal powder comprising the elements of the examples / configurations of this disclosure and can be used in additive manufacturing systems such as PBF system 100. See details. Figure 1A The figure illustrates a PBF system after the slabs of the building blocks have fused but before the next layer of powder has been deposited. In fact, Figure 1A This illustrates the current state of the PBF system after it has deposited and fused multiple layers (e.g., 150 layers) of slices to form, for example, a component formed from 150 slices. The multiple deposited layers form a powder bed 121, which includes deposited but unfused powder.

[0042] Figure 1B The diagram illustrates a PBF system 100 at a stage where the build base 111 can reduce the powder layer thickness 123. Lowering the build base causes the build member 109 and powder bed 121 to decrease in powder layer thickness such that the amount by which the top of the build member and powder bed is below the top of the powder bed container wall 112 is equal to the powder layer thickness. For example, in this way, a space with a consistent thickness equal to the powder layer thickness can be created above the top of the build member and powder bed.

[0043] Figure 1C This illustration shows a stage of the PBF system 100 where the depositor 101 is positioned to deposit powder 117 in a space formed above the top surface of the component 109 and the powder bed 121, defined by the powder bed container wall 112. In this example, the depositor moves gradually above the defined space while releasing powder from the hopper. A leveler 119 can level the released powder to form a powder layer 126 with a thickness substantially equal to the powder layer thickness 123 (see [link to previous illustration]). Figure 1B Therefore, the powder in the PBF system can be supported by a powder material support structure, which may include, for example, a build plate 107, a build base plate 111, a build element 109, a powder bed container wall 112, etc. It should be noted that the thickness of the powder layer 125 shown (i.e., the powder layer thickness 123) is... Figure 1B ()) Greater than the reference above Figure 1A The discussion involves the actual thickness of an example of 150 pre-deposited layers.

[0044] Figure 1D This shows a stage of the PBF system 100, after the powder layer 125 has been deposited ( Figure 1CEnergy beam source 103 generates energy beam 127 and deflector 105 applies energy beam to melt the next slice in component 109.

[0045] In various example embodiments, the energy beam source can be an electron beam source, in which case the energy beam constitutes an electron beam. The deflector can include deflection plates that can generate electric or magnetic fields to selectively deflect the electron beam, causing the electron beam to scan the entire region designated for fusion. In various embodiments, the energy beam source can be a laser, in which case the energy beam is a laser beam. The deflector can include an optical system that uses reflection and / or refraction to manipulate the laser beam to scan the selected region to be fused.

[0046] In various implementations, the deflector may include one or more gimbals and actuators that can rotate and / or translate the energy beam source to position the energy beam.

[0047] In various embodiments, the energy beam source and / or deflector can adjust the energy beam, for example, by turning the energy beam on and off as the deflector scans, so that the energy beam is applied only to the appropriate area of ​​the powder layer. For example, in various embodiments, the energy beam can be adjusted by a digital signal processor (DSP).

[0048] Figure 1E A functional block diagram of a 3D printer system according to one aspect of this disclosure is shown.

[0049] In one aspect of this disclosure, control devices and / or components, including computer software, may be coupled to PBF system 100 to control one or more components within the PBF system. Such devices may be computer 150, which may include one or more components that can assist in controlling the PBF system. The computer may communicate with the PBF system and / or other AM systems via one or more interfaces 151. The computer and / or its interfaces are examples of devices that can be configured to implement the various methods described herein, which can assist in controlling the PBF system and / or other AM systems.

[0050] In one aspect of this disclosure, the computer may include at least one processor 152, memory 154, signal detector 156, digital signal processor (DSP) 158, and one or more user interfaces 160. The computer may include additional components without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0051] The processor assists in the control and / or operation of the PBF system. The processor may also be referred to as a Central Processing Unit (CPU). Storage in memory, which may include read-only memory (ROM) and random access memory (RAM), can provide instructions and / or data to the processor. A portion of the memory may also include non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM). The processor typically performs logical and arithmetic operations based on program instructions stored in memory. The instructions in memory may be executable (e.g., executed by processor 152) to implement the methods described herein.

[0052] A processor may include or be a component of a processing system implemented with one or more processors. The one or more processors may be implemented using any combination of a general-purpose microprocessor, microcontroller, digital signal processor (DSP), floating-point gate array (FPGA), programmable logic device (PLD), controller, state machine, gated logic, discrete hardware component, special-purpose hardware finite state machine, or any other suitable entity capable of performing computations or other operations on information.

[0053] The processor may also include machine-readable media for storing software. Software should be interpreted broadly as any type of instruction, whether it refers to software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description language, or others. Instructions may include code (e.g., source code format, binary code format, executable code format, RS-274 instructions (G-code), numerical control (NC) programming languages, and / or any other suitable code format). When executed by one or more processors, the instructions cause the processing system to perform the various functions described herein.

[0054] Signal detectors can be used to detect and quantize signals of any level received by a computer for use by the processor and / or other components of the computer. Signal detectors can detect signals such as energy beam source power, deflector position, component base plate height, remaining powder amount in the depositor, leveler position, and other signals. A DSP can be used to process signals received by the computer. The DSP can be configured to generate instructions and / or instruction packets for transmission to the PBF system.

[0055] A user interface may include a keyboard, a pointing device, and / or a display. A user interface may include any element or component that communicates information to and / or receives input from a user of the computer.

[0056] Various components of a computer can be coupled together through interfaces, which may include, for example, a bus system. Interfaces may include, for example, a data bus, as well as power buses, control signal buses, and status signal buses in addition to the data bus. Computer components may be coupled together or use other mechanisms to accept input or provide input to each other.

[0057] although Figure 1E Many individual components are shown, but one or more components can be combined or implemented together. For example, a processor can be used not only to implement the functions described herein with respect to processors, but also to implement the functions described herein with respect to signal detectors, DSPs, and / or user interfaces. Furthermore, Figure 1E Each component shown can be implemented using multiple individual elements.

[0058] Alloy Structure

[0059] Figure 2A and 2B An alloy structure according to one aspect of this disclosure is shown.

[0060] Figure 2A An alloy structure 200 is shown, comprising matrix material atoms and solute atoms. In one aspect of this disclosure, the alloy structure may have a basic structure of the matrix material, for example, it may be a crystalline or periodic structure, such as a cubic structure (where matrix material atoms are located at each corner of the cube), a face-centered cubic (fcc) structure (where matrix material atoms are located at the corners and at least one face of the cube), and so on. For example, aluminum (Al) metal as a matrix material is arranged in a face-centered cubic (fcc) structure, titanium in a body-centered cubic (bcc) structure or a hexagonal close-packed (hcp) structure, and so on. Figure 2A As shown, the atoms of the matrix material can be arranged in layers, such as matrix material layer 208, which may include one or more atoms of alternative solute 204.

[0061] exist Figure 2A In this context, the matrix material structure of the alloy structure is shown as a cubic structure; however, without departing from the scope of this disclosure, the principles described regarding the alloy structure can be applied to any arrangement of matrix material structures. Figure 2A In this alloy, at certain locations within the alloy structure, the matrix material has been replaced by a solute. When a substitution method is used, the alloy can be called a "substitution alloy" because the solute substitutes for the matrix material within the alloy structure. In one aspect of this disclosure, the solute can be one or more different atoms and / or compounds that serve as a substitutional replacement for the matrix material. Substitution alloys can be formed when the atomic size of the solute is approximately the same as that of the matrix material.

[0062] exist Figure 2B In the middle, the alloy structure 210 includes a matrix material 212 within a cubic structure, similar to Figure 2A The matrix material structure shown is similar to... Figure 2AWithout departing from the scope of this disclosure, the principles described regarding the alloy structure can be applied to any arrangement of matrix material structures. The alloy structure also includes solute 214. The solute is included in the alloy structure at locations other than the matrix material, i.e., interstitial locations within the matrix material structure of the alloy structure. In this aspect of the disclosure, such alloys with additives added to the matrix material can be referred to as "interstitial alloys" because the interstitial locations of the solute within the matrix material structure of the alloy structure become part of the structure. In this aspect, the solute can be one or more different atoms and / or compounds that enter the matrix material structure of the alloy structure as interstitial inserts. When the atomic size of the solute is smaller than that of the matrix material, an interstitial alloy can be formed. Figure 2B As shown, the atoms of the matrix material can be arranged in layers, such as matrix material layer 218, which may include one or more interstitial solute atoms 214 interspersed between the layers.

[0063] Figure 2C An example of a composite alloy is shown, whose alloy structure 220 may include a matrix material 222, an interstitial solute 224, and a substitute solute 226. For example... Figure 2C As shown, the atoms of the matrix material can be arranged in layers, such as matrix material layer 228, which may include one or more atoms of alternative solutes and interspersed with one or more atoms of interstitial solutes.

[0064] Aspects of this disclosure may include alternative alloys, interstitial alloys, and combined alloys of alternative / interstitial solutes in a given alloy. Furthermore, without departing from the scope of this disclosure, the matrix material (e.g., matrix materials 202, 212, and 222) may include one or more elements; for example, the matrix material may be a material such as copper (Cu). Although the use of "matrix" in the context of matrix material can imply that the matrix material is a major component of the alloy, this meaning is not necessarily so in many aspects of this disclosure. In various embodiments, matrix material may refer to the basic structure of the alloy, as different materials have different atomic arrangements, such as fcc, bcc, cubic, hcp, etc.

[0065] In one aspect of this disclosure, a solute may be included in the matrix material to alter one or more properties exhibited by the matrix material. For example, but not limited to, carbon (C) may be added to Fe to increase strength and reduce oxidation. In other words, a solute may be added to the matrix material as an impurity to alter the characteristics of interatomic bonds in the matrix material structure.

[0066] In many materials and alloys, several fundamental properties determine the suitability of the material / alloy for a given application. For example, but not limited to, strength, heat resistance, and ductility are three properties that may be of interest in some applications.

[0067] like Figure 2A As shown in -C, alloy structures, which may include a matrix material and a solute, can be classified according to their basic atomic arrangement (e.g., fcc, bcc, hcp, etc.). Alloy structures can be manufactured using various methods, but they are primarily formed by mixing a matrix material with a solute (e.g., substitutional and / or interstitial) in various ratios and / or percentages. This can be achieved by melting and / or fusing the various components into a homogeneous liquid and then cooling the liquid into a solid form.

[0068] The resulting alloy structures, whether interstitial, substituted, polycrystalline, amorphous, or various combinations, provide properties that differ from those of the pure form of the matrix material. For example, alloying gold (Au) with silver (Ag) results in a harder alloy; that is, the resulting Au and Ag alloy has a higher tensile strength than pure Au. Another reason why pure matrix material structures may exhibit reduced strength is that the covalent and / or ionic bonds between atoms of the same element are restricted. Because alloys contain a mixture of atomic sizes and various valence electrons, and because some atoms in the alloy structure can have slightly different sizes and / or different local electrical properties, layers in the matrix material arrangement (e.g., matrix material layers) are more difficult to move relative to each other, as the atomic arrangement is no longer uniform and the local bond strength between adjacent atoms may increase. This increase in alloy strength may be due to small differences in the size of substituted solutes, including interstitial solutes, and / or other reasons.

[0069] Figure 3 A unit cell of a structure according to one aspect of this disclosure is shown;

[0070] Unit cell 300 shows a single cube of the alloy structure, such as Figure 3 As shown, it is a face-centered cubic (fcc) structure. For ease of understanding, plane 302 is shown; although the unit cell has six planes, they are approximately perpendicular to each other at each intersection. Other unit cells are also possible, such as bcc, cubic, hcp, etc., without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0071] This plane is described by five atomic positions: positions 304, 306, 308, and 310, which define the “corners” of the plane, and position 312, which defines the “center” of the plane within the cell plane closest to the observer. In the alloy structure, one cell 300 can be adjacent to another cell 300, and so on, such that a large array of cells 300 defines the alloy structure.

[0072] In this example, element 314 is located at each corner of the unit cell, including planar positions 304, 306, 308, and 310. Element 316 is located at the center of each of the six planes, including position 312. That is, as Figure 3 As shown, positions 304-310 are occupied by element 314, and position 312 is occupied by element 316. Depending on the composition of the resulting alloy, element 314 may be the same material / element as element 316, or it may be a different material / element. In an alloy structure with a pure material (e.g., aluminum) unit cell, each position 304-310 and position 312 will be occupied by aluminum.

[0073] If an alternative solute is introduced as an alloying material for pure aluminum, then one or more positions 304-312 can be occupied by the alloying material. If an interstitial solute is added as an alloying material for pure aluminum, this solute can be located, for example, at position 318. Position 318 is between positions 306 and 304, and in one aspect of this disclosure, within plane 302. Other positions for the interstitial solute are also possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0074] Having such Figure 3 The fcc unit cell shown represents aluminum alloyed with various solutes. Some aluminum alloys have been standardized and named according to the solutes contained in the alloy. For example, but not limited to, the International Alloy Nomenclature System (IADS) is a widely accepted naming scheme for aluminum alloys, in which each alloy is represented by a four-digit number. The first digit indicates the dominant solute element contained in the alloy. The second digit indicates any variant of that solute alloy, and the third and fourth digits indicate the specific alloy within that series.

[0075] For aluminum alloys named (i.e., numbered) in IADS, the 1000 series alloys are essentially the pure aluminum content (by weight %), with other numbers representing the various applications of such alloys. The 2000 series aluminum alloys are alloyed with Cu, the 3000 series with Mn, the 4000 series with silicon (Si), the 5000 series with Mg, the 6000 series with both Mg and Si, the 7000 series with Zn, and the 8000 series with other elements or combinations of elements not covered by the series name. As an example, but not a limitation, a common aluminum alloy is called "6061," which, according to the IADS naming scheme, has Mg and Si as the main alloying solutes.

[0076] However, when the manufacturing process for producing such alloys shifts from smelting, forging, and / or casting to 3D printing, the formation of the alloy structure and / or the cells within that structure becomes localized. Because 3D printing applies heat energy to only a small portion of the entire alloy structure at any given time, cell formation occurs at a local scale within the component, rather than at a global scale, as is the case in castings. Due to the localized versus global application of heat energy and the localized versus global cooling of the component, it has been found that some specified conventional aluminum alloys are difficult to 3D print without introducing microcracks and / or other harmful structural defects into the component.

[0077] Metal strengthening mechanism

[0078] Such as combination Figure 2A As described in the -C specification, there are multiple ways to increase the strength of a matrix material. The "strength" of a given material can also be described in several ways. The magnitude of the force required to fracture a material is often referred to as its "tensile strength" or "ultimate tensile strength," while the magnitude of the force required to permanently bend or deform a material can be referred to as its "yield strength." Several mechanisms may be responsible for increasing the tensile strength and / or yield strength of a given material. Such mechanisms in an alloy can include, for example, altering the "smoothness" between layers of matrix material in the alloy structure by introducing, for example, a substitute solute, an interstitial solute, or a combination of substitute and interstitial solutes. The introduction of a solute can create inhomogeneous regions within the alloy structure and can be referred to as "dislocations" within the alloy.

[0079] Dislocations can introduce varying attractive and / or repulsive forces into an alloy structure, known as a stress field. This creates localized differences in forces within the alloy structure, called "pinning points," which prevent movement of one or more layers of the matrix material in the vicinity of the pinning point.

[0080] Increasing the number of dislocations per unit volume in an alloy structure, relative to its pure matrix material structure, generally increases the alloy's tensile strength and / or yield strength. However, above a certain point (which may vary for each matrix material), the increased dislocation density will begin to decrease the alloy's tensile strength and / or yield strength. If the local differences in attractive and / or repulsive forces become sufficiently widespread, they can reduce and / or eliminate any contribution of the matrix material's attractive and / or repulsive forces to the determination of the alloy's overall strength, or they can lead to a change in the alloy structure, resulting in different fundamental arrangements of atoms within the alloy structure (e.g., from fcc to bcc, etc.).

[0081] Therefore, increasing the dislocation density to a certain extent increases the shear force required to move one matrix material layer relative to another. This is because additional shear force is needed to move dislocations within the layers, as well as the force required to move the matrix material within those layers. The increase in shear force required to move dislocations manifests as an increase in the tensile strength and / or yield strength of the alloy.

[0082] However, increasing the strength of the matrix material can reduce other properties exhibited by the matrix material when it is in its pure form. For example, but not limited to, increasing strength can reduce the malleability of the matrix material. It is well known that the stronger a material is, the more difficult it is to bend or dent. The malleability and / or elongation of a material are often referred to as its “ductility.” Changing the strength of a material, i.e., its ability to resist forces, generally also changes its “machinability,” i.e., its ability to absorb forces through deformation rather than fracture. Although much of the discussion herein concerns strengthening materials, in one aspect of this disclosure, the strength of a given alloy can be improved without significantly affecting its ductility.

[0083] work hardening

[0084] The typical structure of a pure matrix material can be a regular, almost defect-free crystal lattice. To harden the material through "work hardening," dislocations are introduced into the matrix material by shaping or otherwise "processing" it. These dislocations can generate local fluctuations in the stress field within the material, which slightly rearranges the structure of the matrix material.

[0085] Work hardening of a matrix material can be achieved by applying mechanical and / or thermal stress to the matrix material. For example, a sheet of Cu can be hammered, stretched, or passed through pressure rollers to reduce the material thickness. These mechanical stresses introduce dislocations into the Cu structure (A-face-centered cubic). This formation of Cu increases hardness (strength) and decreases elasticity (often referred to as "ductility"). Similar hardening can be achieved through thermal cycling, such as heating and cooling the material, for example, by furnace tempering and quenching iron.

[0086] As described in this article, if the matrix material is "processed" beyond a certain point, the matrix material will contain an excessive concentration of dislocations, which may lead to fracture, such as microfractures and / or visible fractures. Such fracture can be reversible, for example, by subjecting the material to one or more heating and cooling cycles during and / or after the matrix material processing. Heating and cooling the material in this manner can be referred to as "annealing" the matrix material.

[0087] Work hardening can be performed on the matrix material without introducing alternative and / or interstitial solutes to form the alloy. Work hardening can also be performed on alloys containing both solute and matrix material.

[0088] Solid solution strengthening

[0089] In one aspect of this disclosure, alternative and / or interstitial solutes can be added to the matrix material, which can lead to alternative and / or interstitial point defects in the alloy structure. Solute atoms can cause lattice distortion in the alloy structure, which hinders dislocation movement. When dislocation movement is impeded, the strength of the material increases. This specific mechanism for strengthening the matrix material can be termed "solid solution strengthening."

[0090] In solid solution strengthening, the presence of solute atoms can introduce compressive or tensile stresses into the alloy's lattice structure. These stresses can interact with nearby dislocations, causing the solute atoms to act as potential barriers to the movement of structural layers relative to each other. These interactions can increase the tensile strength and / or yield strength of a given alloy.

[0091] Solid solution strengthening typically depends on the concentration of solute atoms present in the alloy structure. When determining which specific element to include in a given alloy, some physical properties of alternative and / or interstitial solute atoms that can be considered include the shear modulus of the solute atom, the physical size of the solute atom, the number of valence electrons (also known as "valence") of the solute atom, the symmetry of the solute stress field, and other properties.

[0092] Precipitation hardening

[0093] As the molten metal alloy cools, matrix material atoms can form molecules with the solute (or other impurities) and / or directly form bonds, rather than bonding with other matrix material atoms. The molecules / bonds formed between the matrix material and the solute or impurities may produce local properties that differ from the pure matrix material structure and / or pure solute structure. One of these properties can be the melting point of the molecules, which may differ from the melting points of the pure matrix material and / or pure solute.

[0094] In one aspect of this disclosure, molecules can harden at temperatures higher than those of a pure matrix material and / or a pure solute, which can generate dislocations in the alloy structure. These dislocations can create substructures within the alloy structure, which may be referred to as different "phases" of the alloy structure. Because molecules of different sizes within the alloy structure make it more difficult for the matrix material layers to move relative to each other within the alloy structure, these molecules can contribute to the formation of a stronger alloy.

[0095] This change in molecular properties, known as the change in "solid solubility" relative to temperature, is termed a "precipitation hardening" mechanism when it affects the strength of the resulting alloy. Because the melting points of the elements in the alloy may differ, precipitation hardening (also known as "precipitation strengthening") can be temperature-dependent.

[0096] Precipitation hardening utilizes these changes in solid solubility with respect to temperature to produce fine particles of an impurity phase, or "second phase," such as the molecules described herein, which impede the movement of dislocations. These particles that make up the second-phase precipitate act as pinning points in a similar manner.

[0097] The size of the particles can be similar to or consistent with the matrix material. If the particle and matrix material sizes are sufficiently similar, the alloy structure can remain relatively consistent, for example, it can maintain a bcc or cubic form. However, in localized regions of the alloy structure, bends and / or depressions may exist within the matrix material layers. This mechanism can be called "coherent hardening" of the alloy structure, which is similar to solid solution hardening.

[0098] When particles respond to shear stress differently than the matrix material, this difference can alter the tensile and / or internal stresses within the alloy structure. This response to shear stress is called the "shear modulus," and because particles can withstand different amounts of stress, the total amount of stress the alloy structure can withstand can increase. This precipitation hardening mechanism can be called "modulus hardening" of the alloy structure.

[0099] Other types of precipitation hardening can be chemical strengthening and / or ordering strengthening, which are changes in the surface energy and / or ordered structure of particles within the alloy structure, respectively. In one aspect of this disclosure, any one or more of these mechanisms can exist as part of precipitation hardening in the alloy.

[0100] Diffusion enhancement

[0101] Similar to precipitation hardening, changes in molecular properties, such as the dispersion of different particles, molecules, and / or solutes within the alloy structure, can create dislocations within the alloy structure, as these particles, molecules, and / or solutes differ in size from the matrix material. Although these particles may be larger than those used in precipitation hardening, the mechanism that reduces the ability of the matrix material layers to move relative to each other is similar. This mechanism can be called "dispersion strengthening" to distinguish it from precipitation hardening. One type of dispersion strengthening involves introducing oxides of the matrix material into the alloy structure.

[0102] Grain boundary strengthening

[0103] In one aspect of this disclosure, the unit cell of an alloy structure, such as an fcc, bcc, or cubic structure, is a cube, which may be referred to as a "grain" or "microcrystal" in the alloy structure. A solute can influence the alloy structure by altering the average grain size within it. When the grains in an alloy structure have different sizes, the interface between adjacent grains (called a "grain boundary") acts as a dislocation in the alloy structure. Grain boundaries serve as the boundaries for dislocation movement, and any dislocation within a grain affects the accumulation or release of stress in adjacent grains.

[0104] This mechanism can be termed "grain boundary strengthening" of the matrix material in the alloy. In one aspect of this disclosure, the grains in the alloy structure can have different crystal orientations, such as bcc, fcc, cubic, etc. These different orientations and sizes create grain boundaries in the alloy structure. When the alloy structure is subjected to external stress, slippage can occur between the matrix material layers. However, grain boundaries act as an obstacle to slippage between the matrix material layers because the matrix material layers do not have uniform, flat surfaces where slippage can occur.

[0105] Phase transition enhancement

[0106] As described in this paper regarding precipitation hardening, the matrix material can be cooled into different “phases” depending on the cooling rate, cooling temperature, and / or other factors. For example, titanium (Ti) can form two different types of grains, called α-titanium and β-titanium. When molten titanium metal crystallizes at low temperatures, α-titanium is formed, resulting in an hcp lattice structure. When molten titanium crystallizes at higher temperatures, β-titanium is formed, resulting in a bcc lattice structure. These different structures throughout the alloy structure produce a stronger alloy because the smooth interfaces between the matrix material layers are disrupted by variations in the grain size and lattice structure of the different phases of the matrix material and / or solute. This mechanism of alloy strengthening is called “phase transformation strengthening.”

[0107] In one aspect of this disclosure, phase transformations of various matrix materials and / or solutes can occur as a function of heating and / or cooling the resulting alloy during alloy formation (e.g., heating the alloy to a specific temperature, cooling the alloy at a specific rate, heat treatment, etc.). In one aspect of this disclosure, during the 3D printing of a given alloy, the temperature of the energy beam source (e.g., the amount of energy delivered by the energy beam source), the velocity of the energy beam through the powder bed (e.g., the velocity of deflector 105), and / or other factors can be selected to provide a desired temperature distribution to the powder bed. For example, but not limited to, the heating and / or cooling of a given powder can be selected to approximate heating and / or cooling profiles to produce a desired phase of the matrix material and / or solute in the resulting alloy, and different heating and / or cooling of different powders can be selected to produce different temperature profiles to produce a desired phase in the resulting alloy of the powder. In one aspect of this disclosure, the temperature profiles transmitted by the PBF system can also be responsible for any post-printing heat treatment, allowing combined printing / heat treatment to be performed in a more efficient manner.

[0108] In the iron (Fe) structure, high levels of carbon (C) and manganese (Mn) solutes produce two distinct grain structures in the alloy: ferrite (bcc lattice structure) and martensite (body-centered tetragonal (bct) lattice structure). These distinct lattices in the Fe-based alloy structure strengthen Fe into steel because the adjacent ferrite and martensite lattice structures disrupt the planar continuity of the matrix material layer interfaces, and the solutes (C and Mn) further disrupt the planarity of the matrix material layers as interstitial solutes. Depending on how the alloy is heat-treated, other lattice structures of Fe can also be formed, such as austenite (with an fcc lattice structure), bainite (with a bct lattice structure of slightly different sizes than martensite), cementite (orthorhombic Fe3C), and / or other compounds.

[0109] One form of phase transformation strengthening, such as the formation of cementite in an Fe-based alloy structure, can also be referred to as "triferrite particle formation" in the alloy structure. Of course, if the matrix material is titanium, such transformation strengthening can be called "trititanium particle formation." If the matrix material is aluminum (Al), such transformation strengthening can be called "trialuminide particle formation," and so on. Without departing from the scope of this disclosure, other forms of particles can also be formed, such as a matrix material having two interstitial solutes or intermediate between interstitial and substitutional solutes, which may have a "di-" prefix, such as titanium diboride (where both titanium and boron are used as solutes, etc.). Without departing from the scope of this disclosure, any number of different compounds (described by chemical prefixes, suffixes, and numerical names) can be formed within the alloy, including the matrix material and / or solute, substantially composed of and / or composed of them.

[0110] Figure 4 The relationship between yield strength and temperature for different alloys is shown.

[0111] like Figure 4-6 As shown, "AP" and "HT" after the alloy name represent "printed" and "heat-treated," respectively. The Al-Cu-Mg-Zr alloys disclosed by the applicant (e.g., DivMat-C3 and DivMAT-Z95) can achieve high yield strength over a wide temperature range, for example, from above 0°C to 250°C. Furthermore, for example, at a temperature of 150°C, the yield strength of the Al-Cu-Mg-Zr alloys disclosed by the applicant (e.g., DivMat-C3) is substantially higher than that of at least the conventional alloys AlSi10Mg and A20X. Moreover, at temperatures below 50°C, the yield strength of the Al-Cu-Mg-Zr alloys disclosed by the applicant (e.g., DivMat-C3 and DivMAT-Z95) is higher than that of at least the conventional alloys AlSi10Mg and A2139 AP.

[0112] Figure 5 The relationship between the ultimate tensile strength and temperature of different alloys is shown.

[0113] like Figure 5 As shown, the Al-Cu-Mg-Zr alloys disclosed by the applicant (e.g., DivMat-C3 and DivMAT-Z95) can achieve high ultimate tensile strength over a wide temperature range, for example, from above 0°C to 250°C. Furthermore, for example, at temperatures below 50°C, the ultimate tensile strength of the Al-Cu-Mg-Zr alloys disclosed by the applicant (e.g., DivMat-C3 and DivMAT-Z95) is higher than that of at least conventional alloys A20X and A2139 AP. Moreover, at a temperature of 250°C, the ultimate tensile strength of the Al-Cu-Mg-Zr alloys disclosed by the applicant (e.g., DivMat-C3) is substantially higher than that of at least conventional alloys AlSi10Mg and A20X.

[0114] Figure 6 The relationship between elongation and temperature for different alloys is shown.

[0115] like Figure 6 As shown, the Al-Cu-Mg-Zr alloys disclosed by the applicant (e.g., DivMat-C3 and DivMAT-Z95) can achieve large elongation over a wide temperature range, for example, from above 0°C to 250°C. For example, as the temperature increases, the elongation of the Al-Cu-Mg-Zr alloys disclosed by the applicant (e.g., DivMat-C3) increases at temperatures above 0°C, 150°C, and 250°C. Furthermore, for example, as the temperature increases, for example, at temperatures above 0°C to 200°C, the elongation of the Al-Cu-Mg-Zr alloys disclosed by the applicant (e.g., DivMat-C3 and DivMAT-Z95) can increase.

[0116] Alloy composition

[0117] In one aspect of this disclosure, aluminum (Al) can form alloys with a group of other materials, such as one or more elements. In some embodiments, example elements that can be used to form Al alloys may include iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), silicon (Si), nickel (Ni), zirconium (Zr), copper (Cu), magnesium (Mg), lithium (Li), titanium (Ti), and / or some combinations of all or subsets of the foregoing element groups.

[0118] The alloys disclosed herein may be configured with a balance of Al. In some aspects, the balance may include up to 0.1 wt% of trace elements. In some aspects, the balance of Al in the alloy may contain up to 0.1 wt% (cumulative) and up to 0.01% (single) of trace impurities.

[0119] Titanium and zirconium can be used as grain refiners for aluminum alloys.

[0120] While Al alloyed with Mg and / or Mn can provide relatively high strength and / or high ductility, this relatively high strength can be achieved through solid solution reinforcement. Mn can eliminate weak θ-Al. 13 Fe4. Therefore, one or more alloys of this disclosure can be configured for solid solution reinforcement and additionally for precipitation hardening. In doing so, one or more alloys of this disclosure are suitable for AM applications, including 3-D printing. For example, one or more alloys of this disclosure can be configured to have one or more other elements in addition to Mg and / or Mn, with the balance being Al. By adding one or more other elements, one or more alloys described herein are suitable for AM applications, such as 3-D printing, while still providing relatively high strength, ductility, and / or durability.

[0121] In alloying, a variety of properties can be obtained by using different elements (e.g., when contained in a solid solution containing Al). Furthermore, the rapid cooling rate associated with AM can increase the solubility limits of various elements contained in one or more alloys described herein, resulting in a relatively finer microstructure compared to the microstructures produced by conventional or non-AM processing techniques.

[0122] In various embodiments, the alloy may include aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), and manganese (Mn), and may be referred to as an Al-Fe-Mn alloy. The Al-Fe-Mn alloy employs two solid solution strengthening elements. The eutectic Al6M microstructure at the melt pool boundary further increases strength. This alloy provides good laser processing properties and tensile strength up to 378 MPa in the printed state. Optional elements Si and / or Ni and / or Zr also contribute to strength. For example, Table 1 below provides the elemental strengthening mechanisms for various example alloys of this disclosure.

[0123]

[0124] Table 1

[0125] In various embodiments, one or more alloys may include Al, Fe, and Mn (i.e., Al-Fe-Mn alloys). In various embodiments of the Al-Fe-Mn alloy, Fe may be from 1% to at most 5.8% of the alloy weight (i.e., Fe ∈ [1%, 5.8%]), Mn may be from 1.2% to at most 9.1% of the alloy weight (i.e., Mn ∈ [1.2%, 9.1%]), and Al may be the balance by weight percentage. In some further embodiments, the Al-Fe-Mn alloy may further include one or more of the elements silicon (Si), nickel (Ni), and zirconium (Zr). In some embodiments, Si may be at most 3.9% of the alloy weight (i.e., Si ≤ 3.9%). In some embodiments, Ni may be at most 7.6% of the alloy weight (i.e., Ni ≤ 7.6%). In some embodiments, Zr may be at most 3.8% of the alloy weight (i.e., Zr ≤ 3.8%). According to various embodiments, Al may be the balance of the composition. In some embodiments, the balance may include up to 0.1% by weight of trace elements. In some embodiments, the balance of Al in the alloy may include up to 0.1% by weight (cumulative) and up to 0.01% (single) of trace impurities.

[0126] In various embodiments of the Al-Fe-Mn alloy, Fe may be from 1.75% to at most 4.75% of the alloy weight, Mn may be from 1.75% to at most 5.0% of the alloy weight, and Al may be the balance by weight percentage. In some further embodiments, the Al-Fe-Mn alloy may further include one or more of the elements silicon (Si), nickel (Ni), and zirconium (Zr). In some embodiments, Si may include 0.25% of the alloy weight, and at most 3.0% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Ni may be from 0.5% to at most 5.0% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Zr may be from 0.25% to at most 3.25% of the alloy weight. According to various embodiments, Al may be the balance of the composition. In some embodiments, the balance may include at most 0.1% by weight of trace elements. In some embodiments, the balance Al in the alloy may contain at most 0.1% by weight (cumulative) and at most 0.01% (single) of trace impurities.

[0127] In various embodiments of the Al-Fe-Mn alloy, Fe may be 2.0% to at most 3.75% of the alloy weight, Mn may be 2.0% to at most 4.0% of the alloy weight, and Al may be the balance by weight percentage. In some further embodiments, the Al-Fe-Mn alloy may further include one or more of the elements silicon (Si), nickel (Ni), and zirconium (Zr). In some embodiments, Si may be 0.25% to at most 2.25% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Ni may include 0.5% of the alloy weight, and at most 3.5% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Zr may be 0.25% to at most 3.0% of the alloy weight. According to various embodiments, Al may be the balance of the composition. In some embodiments, the balance may include at most 0.1% by weight of trace elements. In some embodiments, the balance Al in the alloy may contain at most 0.1% by weight (cumulative) and at most 0.01% (single) of trace impurities.

[0128] In various embodiments, one or more alloys may comprise aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), magnesium (Mg), and zirconium (Zr), which may be referred to as Al-Cu-Mg-Zr alloys. Adding zirconium (Zr) to an aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), and magnesium (Mg) alloy (i.e., Al-Cu-Mg-Zr) can help eliminate crack formation during additive manufacturing by providing nucleation sites for a finer grain microstructure. At room temperature, the printed alloy can exhibit a yield strength of 450 MPa and a yield strength of 500 MPa. Furthermore, at room temperature, the printed alloy can exhibit a tensile strength / ultimate tensile strength of 486 MPa and a tensile strength / ultimate tensile strength of 500 MPa. At temperatures up to 250 degrees Celsius (i.e., 250 °C), alloys (e.g., DivMat-C3 AP, corresponding to a composition including Al-Cu-Mg-Zr-Mn) exhibit superior strength compared to competitors. The copper to magnesium ratio (i.e., Cu / Mg) can have values ​​in the range of 3 to 1 (i.e., the Cu / Mg ratio ∈ [1,3]) to produce the desired precipitate. Furthermore, Table 2 below provides the elemental strengthening mechanisms for various example alloys of this disclosure.

[0129]

[0130] Table 2

[0131] In various embodiments, one or more alloys may include Al, Cu, Mg, and Zr (i.e., Al-Cu-Mg-Zr alloys). In various embodiments of the Al-Cu-Mg-Zr alloy, Cu may be from 0.8% to at most 5.1% of the alloy weight (i.e., Cu ∈ [0.8%, 5.1%]), Mg may be from 0.5% to at most 3.9% of the alloy weight (i.e., Mn ∈ [0.5%, 3.9%]), Zr may be from 0.3% to at most 10.0% of the alloy weight (i.e., Zr ∈ [0.3%, 10.0%]), and Al may be the balance by weight percentage. In some further embodiments, the Al-Cu-Mg-Zr alloy may include one or more of the elements manganese (Mn), lithium (Li), titanium (Ti), silicon (Si), iron (Fe), and nickel (Ni). In some embodiments, Mn may be at most 7.7% of the alloy weight (i.e., Mn ≤ 7.7%). In some embodiments, Li may be up to 2.1% by weight of the alloy (i.e., Li ≤ 2.1%). In some embodiments, Ti may be up to 6.4% by weight of the alloy (i.e., Ti ≤ 6.4%). In some embodiments, Si may be up to 3.8% by weight of the alloy (i.e., Si ≤ 3.8%). In some embodiments, Fe may be up to 1.5% by weight of the alloy (i.e., Fe ≤ 1.5%). In some embodiments, Ni may be up to 1.5% by weight of the alloy (i.e., Ni ≤ 1.5%). In some embodiments, the alloy may include a Cu to Mg ratio (i.e., Cu / Mg) in the range of 1 to 3 (i.e., the Cu / Mg ratio ∈ [1, 3]), including the endpoints of this range. According to various embodiments, Al may be the balance of the composition. In some embodiments, the balance may include up to 0.1% by weight of trace elements. In some embodiments, the balance Al in the alloy may contain up to 0.1% by weight (cumulative) and up to 0.01% (single) of trace impurities.

[0132] In various embodiments of the Al-Cu-Mg-Zr alloy, Cu can be from 2.8% to at most 5.1% of the alloy weight, Mg can be from 2.6% to at most 3.9% of the alloy weight, Zr can be from 1.1% to at most 4.1% of the alloy weight, and Al can be the balance by weight. In some further embodiments, the Al-Cu-Mg-Zr alloy may include one or more of the elements manganese (Mn), lithium (Li), titanium (Ti), silicon (Si), iron (Fe), and nickel (Ni). In some embodiments, Mn can be at most 7.7% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Li can be at most 2.1% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Ti can be at most 6.4% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Si can be at most 3.8% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Fe can be at most 1.5% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Ni can be at most 1.5% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, the alloy may include a Cu to Mg ratio (i.e., Cu / Mg) in the range of 1 to 3 (i.e., a Cu / Mg ratio ∈ [1,3]), including the endpoints of this range. According to various embodiments, Al may be the balance of the composition. In some embodiments, the balance may include up to 0.1 wt% of trace elements. In some embodiments, the balance Al in the alloy may contain up to 0.1 wt% (cumulative) and up to 0.01% (single) of trace impurities.

[0133] In various embodiments of the Al-Cu-Mg-Zr alloy, Cu can be from 2.0% to at most 5.1% of the alloy weight, Mg can be from 0.5% to at most 3.9% of the alloy weight, Zr can be from 1.1% to at most 4.1% of the alloy weight, and Al can be the balance by weight percentage. In some further embodiments, the Al-Cu-Mg-Zr alloy may include one or more of the elements manganese (Mn), lithium (Li), titanium (Ti), silicon (Si), iron (Fe), and nickel (Ni). In some embodiments, Mn can be at most 7.7% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Li can be at most 2.1% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Ti can be at most 6.4% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Si can be at most 3.8% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Fe can be at most 1.5% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Ni can be at most 1.5% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, the alloy may include a Cu to Mg ratio (i.e., Cu / Mg) in the range of 1 to 3 (i.e., a Cu / Mg ratio ∈ [1,3]), including the endpoints of this range. According to various embodiments, Al may be the balance of the composition. In some embodiments, the balance may include up to 0.1 wt% of trace elements. In some embodiments, the balance Al in the alloy may contain up to 0.1 wt% (cumulative) and up to 0.01% (single) of trace impurities.

[0134] In various embodiments of the Al-Cu-Mg-Zr alloy, Cu can be from 2.0% to at most 4.0% of the alloy weight, Mg can be from 0.5% to at most 2.0% of the alloy weight, Zr can be from 1.75% to at most 4.1% of the alloy weight, and Al can be the balance by weight percentage. In some further embodiments, the Al-Cu-Mg-Zr alloy may include one or more of the elements manganese (Mn), lithium (Li), titanium (Ti), silicon (Si), iron (Fe), and nickel (Ni). In some embodiments, Mn can be from 1.0% to at most 4.0% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Li can be from 1.0% to at most 2.0% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Ti can be from 0.5% to at most 4.4% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Si can be from 0.25% to at most 3.0% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Fe may be from 0.25% to at most 1.25% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Ni may be from 0.5% to at most 1.25% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, the alloy may include a Cu to Mg ratio (i.e., Cu / Mg) in the range of 1 to 3 (i.e., the Cu / Mg ratio ∈ [1,3]), including the endpoints of this range. According to various embodiments, Al may be the balance of the composition. In some embodiments, the balance may include at most 0.1% by weight of trace elements. In some embodiments, the balance Al in the alloy may contain at most 0.1% by weight (cumulative) and at most 0.01% (single) of trace impurities.

[0135] In various embodiments of the Al-Cu-Mg-Zr alloy, Cu can be 2.25% to at most 3.25% of the alloy weight, Mg can be 0.75% to at most 1.75% of the alloy weight, Zr can be 1.75% to at most 3.75% of the alloy weight, and Al can be the balance by weight percentage. In some further embodiments, the Al-Cu-Mg-Zr alloy may include one or more of the elements manganese (Mn), lithium (Li), titanium (Ti), silicon (Si), iron (Fe), and nickel (Ni). In some embodiments, Mn can be 1.25% to at most 3.0% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Li can be 1.25% to at most 2.0% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Ti can be 0.5% to at most 3.5% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Si can be 0.25% to at most 2.0% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Fe may be from 0.25% to at most 1.0% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Ni may be from 0.5% to at most 1.0% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, the alloy may include a Cu to Mg ratio (i.e., Cu / Mg) in the range of 1 to 3 (i.e., the Cu / Mg ratio ∈ [1,3]), including the endpoints of this range. According to various embodiments, Al may be the balance of the composition. In some embodiments, the balance may include at most 0.1% by weight of trace elements. In some embodiments, the balance Al in the alloy may contain at most 0.1% by weight (cumulative) and at most 0.01% (single) of trace impurities.

[0136] In various embodiments of the Al-Cu-Mg-Zr alloy, Cu may be 2.5% to 4.5% of the alloy weight, Mg may be 2.5% to 3.9% of the alloy weight, Zr may be 1.1% to 3.0% of the alloy weight, and Al may be the balance by weight. In some further embodiments, the Al-Cu-Mg-Zr alloy may include one or more of the elements manganese (Mn), lithium (Li), titanium (Ti), silicon (Si), iron (Fe), and nickel (Ni). In some embodiments, Mn may be 0.2% to 2.0% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Li may be 0.75% to 2.0% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Ti may be 0.55% to 3.75% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Si may be 0.25% to 2.5% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Fe may be from 0.45% to at most 1.5% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Ni may be from 0.25% to at most 1.5% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, the alloy may include a Cu to Mg ratio (i.e., Cu / Mg) in the range of 1 to 3 (i.e., the Cu / Mg ratio ∈ [1,3]), including the endpoints of this range. According to various embodiments, Al may be the balance of the composition. In some embodiments, the balance may include at most 0.1% by weight of trace elements. In some embodiments, the balance Al in the alloy may contain at most 0.1% by weight (cumulative) and at most 0.01% (single) of trace impurities.

[0137] In various embodiments of the Al-Cu-Mg-Zr alloy, Cu can be 3.0% to at most 4.0% of the alloy weight, Mg can be 3.0% to at most 3.9% of the alloy weight, Zr can be 1.1% to at most 2.0% of the alloy weight, and Al can be the balance by weight percentage. In some further embodiments, the Al-Cu-Mg-Zr alloy may include one or more of the elements manganese (Mn), lithium (Li), titanium (Ti), silicon (Si), iron (Fe), and nickel (Ni). In some embodiments, Mn can be 0.25% to at most 1.25% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Li can be 1.0% to at most 1.75% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Ti can be 0.55% to at most 3.0% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Si can be 0.25% to at most 2.0% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Fe may be from 0.45% to at most 1.0% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, Ni may be from 0.25% to at most 1.25% of the alloy weight. In some embodiments, the alloy may include a Cu to Mg ratio (i.e., Cu / Mg) in the range of 1 to 3 (i.e., the Cu / Mg ratio ∈ [1,3]), including the endpoints of this range. According to various embodiments, Al may be the balance of the composition. In some embodiments, the balance may include at most 0.1% by weight of trace elements. In some embodiments, the balance Al of the alloy may include

[0138] The disclosed numerical ranges associated with any element of the alloy are exemplary and not intended to represent unique ranges. Different numerical ranges of the disclosed ranges may be included for any element of the alloy. For example, Cu may include / have ranges such as [1.5, 5.1], [1.75, 4.75], [1.8, 4.8], [1.8, 5.1], [2, 4], [2, 4.68], [2, 5.1], [2.3, 4.9], [2.8, 5.1], [3, 5], [3, 5.1], etc. (by alloy weight). Furthermore, any value within any range may be a lower limit, an upper limit, or both. For example, if [1, 10] is a range for an alloying element, then 1.1, 1.5, or 6 can be the lower limit of the range, and 8, 9, or 9.9 can be the upper limit. Furthermore, the ranges [1.1, 8], [1.1, 9], [1.1, 9.9], [1.5, 8], [1.5, 9], [1.5, 9.9], [6, 8], [6, 9], and [6, 9.9] can all represent the range for that alloying element. Additionally, any value within the range [1, 10] can be both a lower and upper limit. For instance, the value 2 is a value within the range [1, 10], and the ranges [2, 5] and [1, 2] can both represent the range for an alloying element; therefore, 2 can be both a lower and upper limit.

[0139] In the tables above (e.g., Table 1 and Table 2), each row is interchangeable with the corresponding row in other tables.

[0140] Figure 1A-1E The specific embodiments shown are suitable examples of PBF systems employing the principles of this disclosure. Specifically, one or more aluminum alloys described herein can be used... Figure 1A-1E The PBF system described herein. While one or more aluminum alloys described in this disclosure may be suitable for various AM processes (e.g., using a PBF system, such as...), Figure 1A-1E (as shown in the illustration), but it should be understood that one or more aluminum alloys described in this disclosure can also be used in other applications. For example, one or more aluminum alloys described herein can be used in other manufacturing settings or fields without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Therefore, AM processes using one or more aluminum alloys described in this disclosure are considered illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure.

[0141] In some exemplary applications, one or more alloys of this disclosure can be used in additive manufacturing (AM) for automotive engineering. For example, one or more alloys described herein can be additively manufactured for the production of joints, connections, and / or other structures that can be applied to vehicles (e.g., cars, trucks, etc.). For example, one or more alloys described herein can be additively manufactured to produce all or part of a vehicle's chassis, frame, body, etc.

[0142] The properties of one or more alloys described herein can contribute to the crashworthiness of structures made from one or more alloys described herein. Furthermore, one or more alloys disclosed herein can be configured with the materials (e.g., elements) described herein, such that additively manufactured products using at least a portion of said one or more alloys can reduce vehicle weight at suitable insertion points (e.g., compared to existing vehicle manufacturing methods).

[0143] The foregoing description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various aspects described herein. Various modifications to these exemplary embodiments given throughout this disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the concepts disclosed herein can be applied to aluminum alloys. Therefore, the claims are not intended to be limited to the exemplary embodiments given throughout this disclosure, but are consistent with the full scope of the claims in accordance with the language of the claims. All structural and functional equivalents of the elements of the exemplary embodiments described throughout this disclosure are known to or will be known to those skilled in the art thereafter, and are intended to be covered by the claims. Furthermore, regardless of whether such disclosure is expressly stated in the claims, the contents disclosed herein are not intended for the general public. Unless an element is expressly stated using the phrase “means for…”, or, in the case of a method claim, using the phrase “steps for…”, no claim element should be construed under 35 USC §112(f) or similar laws within the applicable jurisdiction.

Claims

1. An alloy comprising: Iron (Fe), wherein the amount of Fe is greater than 1% and less than or equal to 5.8% of the alloy weight; Manganese (Mn), wherein the amount of Mn is greater than or equal to 1.2% and less than or equal to 9.1% of the alloy weight; and Aluminum (Al).

2. The alloy according to claim 1, wherein the amount of Fe is greater than or equal to 1.5% of the alloy weight.

3. The alloy according to claim 1, wherein the amount of Fe is from 1.75% to 5.5% of the alloy weight.

4. The alloy according to claim 1, wherein the amount of Mn is greater than or equal to 1.75% of the alloy weight.

5. The alloy according to claim 1, wherein the amount of Mn is 2% to 5% of the alloy weight.

6. The alloy according to claim 1, further comprising silicon (Si) in an amount less than or equal to 3.9% of the alloy weight.

7. The alloy according to claim 1, further comprising silicon (Si) in an amount of 0.25% to 3% by weight of the alloy.

8. The alloy according to claim 1, further comprising nickel (Ni) in an amount less than or equal to 7.6% of the alloy weight.

9. The alloy according to claim 1, further comprising nickel (Ni) in an amount of 0.5% to 3% by weight of the alloy.

10. The alloy according to claim 1, further comprising zirconium (Zr) in an amount less than or equal to 3.8% of the alloy weight.

11. The alloy according to claim 1, further comprising zirconium (Zr) in an amount of 0.25% to 3.25% by weight of the alloy.

12. The alloy according to claim 1, wherein the amount of Fe is 1.8% to 4% of the alloy weight and the amount of Mn is 2.2% to 4.5% of the alloy weight.

13. An alloy comprising: Copper (Cu), wherein the amount of Cu is greater than 0.8% and less than or equal to 5.1% of the alloy weight; Magnesium (Mg); Zirconium (Zr), wherein the amount of Zr is greater than 0.3% and less than or equal to 10.0% of the alloy weight; and Aluminum (Al).

14. The alloy according to claim 13, wherein the amount of Cu is greater than or equal to 1.5% of the alloy weight.

15. The alloy according to claim 13, wherein the amount of Cu is 1.8% to 4.8% of the alloy weight.

16. The alloy according to claim 13, wherein the amount of Mg is less than or equal to 3.9% of the alloy weight.

17. The alloy of claim 16, wherein the amount of Mg is greater than or equal to 0.5% of the alloy weight.

18. The alloy according to claim 13, wherein the amount of Mg is 1.5% to 3.8% of the alloy weight.

19. The alloy of claim 13, wherein the amount of Zr is greater than or equal to 0.8% of the alloy weight.

20. The alloy of claim 19, wherein the amount of Zr is greater than or equal to 6% of the alloy weight.

21. The alloy according to claim 13, wherein the amount of Zr is 1% to 5% of the alloy weight.

22. The alloy according to claim 13, further comprising manganese (Mn) in an amount less than or equal to 7.7% of the alloy weight.

23. The alloy of claim 13, further comprising lithium (Li) in an amount less than or equal to 2.1% of the alloy weight.

24. The alloy of claim 13, further comprising titanium (Ti) in an amount less than or equal to 6.4% of the alloy weight.

25. The alloy of claim 13, further comprising silicon (Si) in an amount less than or equal to 3.8% of the alloy weight.

26. The alloy of claim 13, further comprising iron (Fe) in an amount less than or equal to 1.5% of the alloy weight.

27. The alloy of claim 13, further comprising nickel (Ni) in an amount less than or equal to 1.4% of the alloy weight.

28. The alloy of claim 13, further comprising manganese (Mn), wherein the amount of Mn is 2% to 4% by weight of the alloy; The amount of Cu is 2% to 4% of the alloy weight; The amount of Mg is 2% to 3.7% of the alloy's weight; and The amount of Zr is 2% to 4% of the alloy weight.

29. An alloy comprising: Copper (Cu), wherein the amount of Cu is greater than or equal to 2.0% and less than or equal to 5.1% of the alloy weight; Magnesium (Mg); Zirconium (Zr), wherein the amount of Zr is greater than or equal to 1.1% and less than or equal to 4.1% of the alloy weight; and Aluminum (Al).

30. The alloy according to claim 29, wherein the amount of Mg is from 0.5% to 3.9% by weight of the alloy.

31. The alloy according to claim 29, further comprising manganese (Mn) in an amount less than or equal to 7.7% of the alloy weight.

32. The alloy of claim 29, further comprising lithium (Li) in an amount less than or equal to 2.1% of the alloy weight.

33. The alloy of claim 29, further comprising titanium (Ti) in an amount less than or equal to 6.4% of the alloy weight.

34. The alloy of claim 29, further comprising silicon (Si) in an amount less than or equal to 3.8% of the alloy weight.

35. The alloy of claim 29, further comprising iron (Fe) in an amount less than or equal to 1.5% of the alloy weight.

36. The alloy of claim 29, further comprising nickel (Ni) in an amount less than or equal to 1.4% of the alloy weight.

37. The alloy of claim 29, further comprising manganese (Mn), wherein the amount of Mn is 2% to 4% by weight of the alloy; The amount of Cu is 2% to 4% of the alloy weight; The amount of Mg is 2% to 3.7% of the alloy's weight; and The amount of Zr is 2% to 4% of the alloy weight.

38. An alloy comprising: Copper (Cu), wherein the amount of Cu is greater than or equal to 2.8% and less than or equal to 5.1% of the alloy weight; Magnesium (Mg); Zirconium (Zr), wherein the amount of Zr is greater than or equal to 1.1% and less than or equal to 4.1% of the alloy weight; and Aluminum (Al).

39. The alloy of claim 38, wherein the amount of Mg is greater than or equal to 2.6% and less than or equal to 3.9% of the alloy weight.

40. The alloy of claim 38, further comprising manganese (Mn) in an amount less than or equal to 7.7% of the alloy weight.

41. The alloy of claim 38, further comprising lithium (Li) in an amount less than or equal to 2.1% of the alloy weight.

42. The alloy of claim 38, further comprising titanium (Ti) in an amount less than or equal to 6.4% of the alloy weight.

43. The alloy of claim 38, further comprising silicon (Si) in an amount less than or equal to 3.8% of the alloy weight.

44. The alloy of claim 38, further comprising iron (Fe) in an amount less than or equal to 1.5% of the alloy weight.

45. The alloy of claim 38, further comprising nickel (Ni) in an amount less than or equal to 1.4% of the alloy weight.

46. ​​The alloy of claim 38, further comprising manganese (Mn), wherein the amount of Mn is 2.2% to 3.8% by weight of the alloy; The amount of Cu is 2.8% to 4% of the alloy's weight; and The amount of Mg is 2.6% to 3.7% of the alloy's weight; and The amount of Zr is 2% to 4% of the alloy weight.

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