Aluminum alloy materials, aluminum alloy structural components, battery housings, battery systems, power consumption devices, manufacturing methods and applications

Abstract

The present invention relates to aluminum alloy materials, aluminum alloy structural components, battery housings, battery systems, power consumption devices (6), manufacturing methods, and applications. This aluminum alloy material contains the constituent elements Si, Mn, Mo, Zr, Sr, Sc, B, the matrix element Al, and unavoidable impurity elements, and in this aluminum alloy material, both the elements Mo and Zr are present in relatively low amounts.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Cross-reference of related applications This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed on November 27, 2023, with application number CN2023115989415, titled "Aluminum alloy material, aluminum alloy structural member, battery housing, battery system, power consumption device, manufacturing method and application," which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] This application relates to the field of aluminum alloy materials technology, and more specifically to the field of battery technology, and more specifically to aluminum alloy materials, aluminum alloy structural members, battery housings, battery systems, power consumption devices, manufacturing methods and applications. [Background technology]

[0003] The statements made herein are merely background information relating to this application and do not necessarily constitute existing technology.

[0004] The battery casing is a crucial component of the battery, playing a vital role in protecting it. The casing needs to possess relatively good mechanical properties to reduce the degree of damage to the battery when subjected to impact, and also needs a certain level of corrosion resistance to extend the battery's lifespan. Currently, the main material used to construct battery casings is aluminum alloy. There is a need to develop aluminum alloy materials that possess both good mechanical properties and excellent corrosion resistance simultaneously. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] According to various embodiments and examples of this application, this application provides an aluminum alloy material, an aluminum alloy structural member, a battery housing, a battery system, a power consumption device, a manufacturing method, and applications. This aluminum alloy material has good mechanical properties and excellent corrosion resistance and can be used as the main material for the aluminum alloy structure in a battery housing, effectively extending the service life of the battery housing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In a first aspect, the present application provides an aluminum alloy material comprising the constituent elements Si, Mn, Mo, Zr, Sr, Sc, B, the matrix element Al, and unavoidable impurity elements, wherein the mass percentage of the element Mo in the aluminum alloy material is ≤0.25%, and the mass percentage of the element Zr in the aluminum alloy material is ≤0.2%.

[0007] In some embodiments, an aluminum alloy material is provided which comprises the constituent elements Si, Mn, Mo, Zr, Sr, Sc, B, the matrix element Al, and unavoidable impurity elements. Here, the aluminum alloy material consists of an Al-Si eutectic phase and AlB x The AlB includes a strengthening phase and an AlSiMnSc strengthening phase. x The enhancement phase includes at least the AlB2 enhancement phase. The mass percentage of the element Mo in the aforementioned aluminum alloy material is ≤0.25%. The mass percentage of the element Zr in the aforementioned aluminum alloy material is ≤0.2%.

[0008] This aluminum alloy material has Al as the matrix element and contains Si (silicon), Mn (manganese), Mo (molybdenum), Zr (zirconium), Sr (strontium), Sc (scandium), and B (boron). In this aluminum alloy material, the matrix element Al forms an α-Al matrix phase, which mainly consists of primary α-Al crystals. By adding Si, Sc, B, and Mn, an Al-Si eutectic phase and AlB x Reinforcement phases and AlSiMnSc reinforcement phases can be formed, providing aluminum alloy materials with good mechanical properties, such as mechanical strength and durability. Si elements can form α-Al matrix phases and Al-Si eutectic phases, performing a strengthening effect and giving aluminum alloy materials a microstructure mainly consisting of primary α-Al crystals and Al-Si eutectic structures. The introduction of rare earth elements Sc can simultaneously improve the mechanical strength and corrosion resistance of aluminum alloy materials. In the form of solid solution and alloy phase formation, a clear strengthening effect can be produced through limited solid solution, increased deformation resistance, and promotion of dislocation proliferation. Alloy phases formed with Sc elements generally include reinforcement phases such as AlSiMnSc reinforcement phases. Furthermore, some Sc elements can dissolve in the matrix and improve the self-corrosion potential, while some Sc elements can reduce the potential difference between the matrix and alloy phase, reducing the tendency for galvanic corrosion. B elements can improve the growth rate of crystal nuclei by changing the crystallization conditions of aluminum alloys and can perform grain refinement. The solubility of B elements in Al alloys is relatively low, and AlB is distributed near the eutectic structure. xIt is easy to form a strengthening phase. The element Mn can form an AlSiMnSc strengthening phase, and further contributes to demolding during the melting and refining process, and allows for the uniform distribution of the precipitated phase. The introduction of the element Sr can modify the Al-Si eutectic structure, improving mechanical properties such as mechanical strength and ductility. Furthermore, the element Sr can improve the plasticity of aluminum alloys, contributing to improved mechanical properties and reducing the ingot homogenization time. In some known aluminum alloy materials, the addition of elements Mo and Zr can improve the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of the aluminum alloy material, but often it is necessary to add relatively large amounts. Here, the element Mo is soluble in aluminum crystals and contributes to the formation of a dense passivation film of the aluminum alloy, increasing corrosion resistance, while the element Zr can refine the cast structure by inhibiting or suppressing the recrystallization process. The aluminum alloy material according to the first aspect of this application can achieve relatively good mechanical performance and excellent corrosion resistance by adding only small amounts of Mo and Zr elements through the aforementioned elemental design and alloy phase control. By collaboratively designing the elemental composition and elemental content in the aluminum alloy material, a special microstructure can be given to the manufactured aluminum alloy material, and good mechanical performance and excellent corrosion resistance can be achieved through multiple collaborative actions between each element.

[0009] In some embodiments, an aluminum alloy material is provided, which, by mass percentage, contains 8% to 11.5% of Si, 0.05% to 0.35% of Sc, 0.01% to 0.4% of B, 0.3% to 1.0% of Mn, 0.02% to 0.25% of Mo, 0.01% to 0.2% of Zr, 0.02% to 0.08% of Sr, a matrix element Al, and the aforementioned unavoidable impurity elements.

[0010] In some of these embodiments, the aluminum alloy material comprises an Al-Si eutectic phase and AlB xIt contains a strengthening phase and an AlSiMnSc strengthening phase.

[0011] By reasonably designing the element composition and element content in the aluminum alloy and utilizing the multiple collaborative effects between elements, a special microstructure can be imparted to the manufactured aluminum alloy material, thereby simultaneously endowing it with good mechanical properties and excellent corrosion resistance. In the case of the above element composition, the aluminum alloy material can form an α-Al matrix phase, an Al-Si eutectic phase, an AlB x strengthening phase and an AlSiMnSc strengthening phase, and can provide good mechanical properties such as mechanical strength and strength to the aluminum alloy material. The Si element can form an α-Al matrix phase and an Al-Si eutectic phase and play a strengthening role. The introduction of the rare earth element Sc can simultaneously improve the mechanical strength and corrosion resistance of the aluminum alloy material, and can produce an obvious strengthening effect through limited solid solution and the increase of deformation resistance and the promotion of dislocation growth in the form of solid solution and alloy phase formation. The alloy phase formed by the Sc element generally contains a strengthening phase such as the AlSiMnSc strengthening phase. In addition, some Sc elements can dissolve in the matrix and improve the self-corrosion potential, and some Sc elements can reduce the potential difference between the matrix and the alloy phase and reduce the tendency of potential corrosion. The B element can improve the growth rate of crystal nuclei by changing the crystallization conditions of the aluminum alloy and play a role in refining crystal grains. The solubility of the B element in the Al alloy is relatively low, and the AlB distributed near the eutectic structure xIt is easy to form strengthening phases. The Mn element can form AlSiMnSc strengthening phases, further contribute to mold release during the melting and refining process, and make the precipitate phases uniformly distributed. The introduction of the Sr element can play a modifying role on the Al-Si eutectic structure, enhance mechanical properties such as mechanical strength and ductility. Moreover, the Sr element can further improve the plastic processing property of the aluminum alloy, contribute to improving the mechanical properties of the aluminum alloy, and reduce the homogenization time of the ingot. The Mo element is soluble in the aluminum crystal, contributes to the formation of a dense passive film of the aluminum alloy, and can increase the corrosion resistance. The Zr element can refine the casting structure by inhibiting or suppressing the recrystallization process. Through the overall design of the foregoing element types and contents, by simply adding a small amount of the Mo element and the Zr element, good mechanical properties and excellent corrosion resistance can be relatively well realized. [[ID=?]]

[0012] Based on any suitable embodiment of the present application, further, in some embodiments, the aluminum alloy material The AlB in the aluminum alloy material x The mass fraction of the strengthening phase ≦ 0.1%, optionally, 0.05% - 0.1%, and <0000=95>The mass fraction of the AlSiMnSc strengthening phase in the aluminum alloy material ≦ 0.2%, optionally, 0.07% - 0.2%, satisfies one or more of the above characteristics.

[0013] AlB x By adjusting the content of one or both of the AlB strengthening phase and the AlSiMnSc strengthening phase, the mechanical strength of the aluminum alloy material can be adjusted. Note that by controlling the content of the AlB strengthening phase, it is further beneficial to reduce the adverse effect of this alloy phase on the corrosion resistance. By adjusting and controlling the content of the AlB strengthening phase and the AlSiMnSc strengthening phase in the aluminum alloy material within the above range, it is further beneficial to simultaneously realize good mechanical properties and excellent corrosion resistance. ​​​​

[0014] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, in some embodiments, the aluminum alloy material is: The mass percentage of Si element in the aforementioned aluminum alloy material is 8% to 11.5%, selectively 8.5% to 11.5%, and more selectively 8.5% to 11%. The mass percentage of the element Sc in the aforementioned aluminum alloy material is 0.05% to 0.35%, selectively 0.1% to 0.35%, and more selectively 0.1% to 0.3%. The mass percentage of element B in the aforementioned aluminum alloy material is 0.01% to 0.4%, selectively 0.01% to 0.25%, and even more selectively 0.01% to 0.1%. The aluminum alloy material satisfies one or more of the following characteristics: the mass percentage of the element Mn is 0.3% to 1.0%, selectively 0.45% to 0.95%, and more selectively 0.45% to 0.70%.

[0015] By adjusting and controlling the content of Si, Sc, B, and Mn elements within the aforementioned range, the Al-Si eutectic phase and AlB x It is possible to control the content of the reinforcing phase and the AlSiMnSc reinforcing phase, and furthermore, it is advantageous for achieving both mechanical performance and corrosion resistance, thereby simultaneously achieving good mechanical performance and excellent corrosion resistance.

[0016] The appearance of the Al-Si eutectic phase can be achieved by adjusting and controlling the Si content to be below the eutectic point of Si (approximately 11.7%), which is advantageous in suppressing the formation of primary silicon, which is unfavorable for corrosion performance.

[0017] By controlling the Sc content within the aforementioned range, it is advantageous to improve mechanical performance and corrosion resistance while also considering costs.

[0018] By adjusting and controlling the content of B within the aforementioned range, grain refinement and AlB xIn addition to effectively performing the action of the strengthening phase, AlB x The adverse effects of the alloy phase on corrosion resistance can be further suppressed.

[0019] The addition of Mn (mancer) can provide a reinforcing effect, primarily by solid dissolving in the Al matrix and improving the strength of the Al matrix through lattice strain. By adjusting and controlling the Mn content, the content of the AlSiMnSc strengthening phase and the MnAl6 alloy phase can be controlled, which can also regulate and control the demolding process and promote the uniform distribution of the precipitated phase. Adjusting and controlling the Mn content within the aforementioned range is advantageous for further improving the mechanical properties of the aluminum alloy material.

[0020] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, in some embodiments, the aluminum alloy material comprises a MnAl6 alloy phase, and selectively, the mass fraction of the MnAl6 alloy phase in the aluminum alloy material is 0.55% to 1.25%, and more selectively, 0.45% to 1.3%.

[0021] The MnAl6 alloy phase can perform a complementary and strengthening effect, and adjusting the content of the MnAl6 alloy phase within the aforementioned range is advantageous for better reinforcing. The content of the MnAl6 alloy phase can be adjusted by adjusting the content of the Mn element. By increasing the content of the Mn element within a certain Mn element content range, the content of the MnAl6 alloy phase in the aluminum alloy material can be increased.

[0022] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, and in some embodiments, the aluminum alloy material has a mass percentage of Mo in the aluminum alloy material of 0.02% to 0.25%, selectively 0.04% to 0.2%, and more selectively 0.05% to 0.1%. The aluminum alloy material satisfies one or more of the following characteristics: the mass percentage of the element Zr is 0.01% to 0.2%, selectively 0.01% to 0.15%, and more selectively 0.05% to 0.15%.

[0023] Mo (Mo) element can be dissolved in aluminum crystals, contributing to the formation of a dense passivation film in aluminum alloys and increasing corrosion resistance, while Zr (Zr) element can refine the cast structure by inhibiting or suppressing the recrystallization process. By controlling the content of these two elements within the above range, based on the aforementioned elemental composition and alloy phase design, aluminum alloy materials can achieve both good mechanical properties and excellent corrosion resistance.

[0024] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, in some embodiments, the mass percentage of Sr element in the aluminum alloy material is 0.02% to 0.08%, selectively 0.02% to 0.06%, and more selectively 0.02% to 0.05%.

[0025] By adjusting the Sr content, the modifying effect of Sr on the Al-Si eutectic structure can be controlled. Controlling the Sr content within a more appropriate range is advantageous for optimizing the mechanical properties of aluminum alloy materials.

[0026] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, and in some embodiments further, the aluminum alloy material comprises, by mass percentage, 8.5% to 11.5% of Si, 0.1% to 0.35% of Sc, 0.01% to 0.25% of B, 0.45% to 0.95% of Mn, 0.05% to 0.2% of Mo, 0.01% to 0.15% of Zr, 0.02% to 0.06% of Sr, the matrix element Al, and the aforementioned unavoidable impurity elements.

[0027] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, and in some embodiments further, the aluminum alloy material contains, by mass percentage, 8.5% to 11% of Si, 0.1% to 0.3% of Sc, 0.01% to 0.1% of B, 0.45% to 0.70% of Mn, 0.05% to 0.1% of Mo, 0.05% to 0.15% of Zr, 0.02% to 0.05% of Sr, the matrix element Al, and the aforementioned unavoidable impurity elements.

[0028] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, and in some embodiments further, the aluminum alloy material comprises, by mass percentage, 8% to 11.5% of Si, 0.05% to 0.35% of Sc, 0.01% to 0.4% of B, 0.3% to 1.0% of Mn, 0.05% to 0.25% of Mo, 0.01% to 0.2% of Zr, 0.02% to 0.08% of Sr, the aforementioned unavoidable impurity elements, and the remainder being Al.

[0029] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, and in some embodiments further, the aluminum alloy material comprises, by mass percentage, 8% to 11.5% of Si, 0.05% to 0.35% of Sc, 0.05% to 0.4% of B, 0.3% to 1.0% of Mn, 0.05% to 0.25% of Mo, 0.01% to 0.2% of Zr, 0.02% to 0.08% of Sr, the aforementioned unavoidable impurity elements, and the remainder being Al.

[0030] By adjusting the types and content of each element in the aluminum alloy material, it is possible to give the aluminum alloy material good mechanical properties and excellent corrosion resistance within multiple content ranges.

[0031] In some embodiments based on any suitable embodiment of this application, the unavoidable impurity element further includes the element Fe.

[0032] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, in some embodiments, the aluminum alloy material is: The mass percentage of Fe element in the aluminum alloy material is ≤0.7%, and selectively, the mass percentage of the unavoidable impurity element in the aluminum alloy material is <0.7%. The aluminum alloy material contains an AlSiMnFe phase, and selectively, the mass fraction of the AlSiMnFe phase in the aluminum alloy material is ≤0.2%, and more selectively, ≤0.1%. The aluminum alloy material contains an AlSiMnFe / Sc alloy phase, selectively satisfies one or more of the following characteristics: the mass fraction of the AlSiMnFe / Sc alloy phase in the aluminum alloy material is ≤0.2%, and selectively is between 0.07% and 0.2%.

[0033] During the casting process of aluminum alloys, Fe impurities are often unavoidable in the resulting aluminum alloy. Small amounts of Fe (e.g., Fe content ≤0.7 wt%) contribute to demolding during the casting process; however, relatively high Fe content tends to reduce the corrosion resistance of the aluminum alloy material. Fe impurities can form needle-shaped AlSiMnFe phases, which have a certain strengthening effect. However, due to the large contact area and potential difference between the AlSiMnFe phase and the α-Al matrix, localized galvanic corrosion can occur. Controlling the Fe content within a relatively low range is advantageous in reducing the adverse effect of Fe on corrosion resistance.

[0034] Furthermore, the introduction of Sc can convert some of the needle-shaped AlSiMnFe phase into a fine, branched AlSiMnFe / Sc alloy phase, thereby reducing the damage to corrosion resistance caused by the needle-shaped AlSiMnFe phase.

[0035] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, in some embodiments, the aluminum alloy material is: The mass percentage of Mg in the aforementioned aluminum alloy material is ≤0.1%, selectively ≤0.01%, and further selectively 0%. The mass percentage of Zn element in the aforementioned aluminum alloy material is ≤0.1%, selectively ≤0.01%, and further selectively 0%. The aluminum alloy material satisfies one or more of the following characteristics: the mass percentage of the Cu element in the aluminum alloy material is ≤0.01%, and selectively, it is 0%.

[0036] In several known aluminum alloy materials, one or more of the elements Mg, Zn, and Cu are often added to enhance the alloy. In the first embodiment, when the Mg, Zn, and Cu content is limited to relatively low levels, the aluminum alloy material can achieve relatively good mechanical properties and excellent corrosion resistance.

[0037] A second aspect of this application provides an aluminum alloy structural member which is a molded body of the aluminum alloy material described in the first aspect of this application.

[0038] A third aspect of this application provides a method for manufacturing an aluminum alloy structural member, which is: A step of heating and melting an aluminum ingot, adding compounding materials determined based on the nominal composition of the aluminum alloy material described in the first aspect of this application in the manner of an intermediate alloy, performing melt refining and slag removal to produce a refined aluminum alloy molten body, The steps include: casting the aforementioned refined molten aluminum alloy to produce an aluminum alloy ingot; The process includes the steps of heat-treating the aluminum alloy ingot, cooling it, and obtaining the aluminum alloy structural member.

[0039] The aluminum alloy structural member, as a molded body of an aluminum alloy material described in the first aspect of this application, can have good mechanical properties and excellent corrosion resistance, and can be used as an aluminum alloy structural member in a battery housing, effectively extending the service life of the battery housing. This aluminum alloy structural member can be manufactured by providing a matrix element using an aluminum ingot, adding the corresponding alloying elements, and then performing melt refining and slag removal, casting, heat treatment, and cooling. The shape and dimensions of the aluminum alloy structural member can be controlled by selecting a mold of the appropriate shape and dimensions in the casting step. As can be understood, the shape and dimensions of the structural member can also be adjusted after cooling to obtain an aluminum alloy structural member of the target shape and dimensions, including, but not limited to, sandblasting and grinding.

[0040] A fourth aspect of this application provides a battery housing, the battery housing being: At least some of the structural members in the battery housing include the aluminum alloy material described in the first aspect of this application, The battery housing includes an aluminum alloy structural member as described in a second aspect of this application, The battery housing satisfies at least one of the following features: the battery housing includes an aluminum alloy structural member obtained by the method for manufacturing an aluminum alloy structural member described in the third aspect of this application.

[0041] Regarding the protection that a battery housing provides to the internal battery cells, on the one hand, the battery housing needs to have relatively good mechanical strength to reduce the degree of damage to the battery when subjected to impact, and on the other hand, since the battery housing is susceptible to damage from galvanic corrosion during storage and the battery cycle process, the battery housing also needs to have a certain degree of corrosion resistance. Battery housings manufactured from the aforementioned aluminum alloy material or aluminum alloy structural members can simultaneously satisfy the requirements for mechanical performance and corrosion resistance of the battery housing.

[0042] A fifth aspect of this application provides a battery system comprising a battery housing described in the fourth aspect of this application and a battery cell located inside the battery housing.

[0043] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, in some embodiments, the battery cell further includes a liquid electrolyte.

[0044] A sixth aspect of this application provides a power consumption device comprising at least one of the following: an aluminum alloy material described in the first aspect of this application; an aluminum alloy structural member described in the second aspect of this application; an aluminum alloy structural member obtained by manufacturing an aluminum alloy structural member by the method for manufacturing an aluminum alloy structural member described in the third aspect of this application; a battery housing described in the fourth aspect of this application; and a battery system described in the fifth aspect of this application.

[0045] Using the aforementioned aluminum alloy material, the aforementioned aluminum alloy structural member, or a battery housing containing the aforementioned aluminum alloy material or aluminum alloy structural member in one or more of the battery system and power consumption device is advantageous in improving the reliability and service life of the battery system and power consumption device, reducing the degree of battery damage when subjected to impact, and improving the corrosion resistance of the battery housing, including but not limited to improving resistance to galvanic corrosion.

[0046] When battery cells in a battery system contain a liquid electrolyte, the requirements for corrosion resistance of the battery housing are higher, and the aforementioned battery systems and power consumption devices are more easily able to meet storage and usage requirements.

[0047] A seventh aspect of this application provides an application of the aluminum alloy material described in the first aspect of this application in the manufacture of at least one of the following: an aluminum alloy structural member, a battery housing, a battery system, and a power consumption device.

[0048] Details of one or more embodiments and examples of this application are provided in the drawings and description below. Other features, purposes and advantages of this application will become apparent from the specification, drawings and claims. To better describe and illustrate the embodiments, examples, or cases of this application, one or more drawings may be referenced. Any additional details or examples used to describe the drawings should not be considered to limit the scope of any one of the disclosed applications, the embodiments, examples, or cases currently described, or the best mode of these applications as currently understood. In all drawings, the same reference numerals represent the same members. It should be further noted that all drawings are in a simplified form and are used solely to facilitate and clarify the description of this application. The various dimensions of each member shown in the drawings are arbitrarily given and may be accurate, and may not be drawn to actual scale. For example, in some places in the drawings, the dimensions of members are appropriately exaggerated for clarity in the illustration. Unless otherwise noted, each member in the drawings is not drawn to scale. This application does not limit the dimensions of each member. In the drawing, [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0049] [Figure 1] This is a microstructural diagram of an aluminum alloy material in one embodiment of this application. [Figure 2] This is a microstructure and elemental distribution diagram of an aluminum alloy material according to one embodiment of this application. [Figure 3] This image shows a point scan of an aluminum alloy material obtained by a field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM+EDS) with an energy spectrometer, according to one embodiment of this application, and the analysis results of four of the point scan positions. [Figure 4]The AlSi9MnMoZr reference alloy material and the aluminum alloy material in one embodiment of this application are shown as curves of how the mass fraction, elastic modulus, thermal conductivity, and density change with temperature. Here, the mass fraction refers to the mass fraction of the aluminum alloy material at different temperatures relative to the initial mass of the aluminum alloy material in an unheated state, and reflects the weight loss due to heating of the aluminum alloy material. [Figure 5] This is a potential-dynamic polarization curve of an aluminum alloy material in one embodiment of the present application, where the horizontal coordinate is the chemical potential (in units of V) and the vertical coordinate is the current density (A / cm2). [Figure 6] This is the result of an AC impedance test of an aluminum alloy material in one embodiment of this application. [Figure 7] These are surface macromorphological diagrams of an aluminum alloy material after different corrosion time periods in a salt spray corrosion test according to one embodiment of this application. [Figure 8] This is a schematic diagram showing the sample dimensions of an aluminum alloy material used in a tensile test according to one embodiment of this application. [Figure 9] This is a schematic diagram of a battery module according to one embodiment of the present application. [Figure 10] This is a schematic diagram of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present application. [Figure 11] Figure 10 is an exploded view of a battery pack according to one embodiment of this application. [Figure 12] This is a schematic diagram of a power consumption device according to one embodiment of this application. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0050] Hereinafter, with due reference to the drawings, several embodiments and examples of the aluminum alloy material, aluminum alloy structural members, battery housings, battery systems, power consumption devices, manufacturing methods, and applications of this application will be described in detail. However, unnecessary detailed explanations may be omitted. For example, detailed explanations of well-known matters and redundant explanations of the same structures may be omitted. This is to avoid the following explanation becoming unnecessarily verbose and to facilitate understanding for those skilled in the art. The drawings and the following explanation are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand this application and are not intended to limit the topics covered in the claims.

[0051] The “range” disclosed in this application may be limited in the form of a lower limit and an upper limit, and a given range is limited by selecting one lower limit and one upper limit, and the selected lower limit and upper limit define the boundary of a particular range. The range limited in this manner may or may not include endpoints, any one endpoint may or may not be included independently, and can be combined in any way, that is, any lower limit can be combined with any upper limit to form a range. For example, if the ranges 60-120 and 80-110 are listed for a particular parameter, it is understood that the ranges 60-110 and 80-120 can also be assumed. Furthermore, if the minimum range values ​​1 and 2 are listed, and the maximum range values ​​3, 4 and 5 are also listed, then the ranges 1-3, 1-4, 1-5, 2-3, 2-4 and 2-5 are all assumed. In this application, unless otherwise specified, the numerical range "a~b" represents an abbreviated expression for any combination of real numbers a~b, where a and b are both real numbers. For example, the numerical range "0~5" means that all real numbers between "0~5" are listed in this specification, and "0~5" is merely an abbreviated expression for combinations of these numbers. Also, when it is stated that a parameter is an integer ≥ 2, it is equivalent to disclosing that this parameter is, for example, the integers 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, etc. For example, when it is stated that a parameter is an integer selected from "2~10", it is equivalent to listing the integers 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10.

[0052] In this application, when we refer to "multiple," "multiple types," "multiple claims," ​​or "several," unless otherwise specified, we mean two or more in quantity. For example, "one or more types" means one or two or more types. To make it clear, when we refer to "any multiple" items, we mean any appropriate combination of multiple items, i.e., any combination of multiple items that is consistent and allows for the implementation of this application.

[0053] Unless otherwise specified, all embodiments and optional embodiments of this application can be combined to form new technical inventions.

[0054] Where the “Examples” are referred to herein, it means that certain features, structures, or characteristics described in the Examples may be included in at least one Example or Embodiment of this Application. The phrase, appearing in various parts of the Specification, does not necessarily refer to the same Example, nor does it constitute an independent or alternative Example that excludes other Examples. The Examples described herein may be combined with other Examples, as will be apparent or implicitly understood to those skilled in the art. The “Embodiments” referred to herein have a similar understanding.

[0055] As those skilled in the art will understand, in each embodiment or example of the method, the order in which each step is performed does not constitute any limitation on the implementation process in a strict execution order, but rather the detailed execution order of each step should be determined by its function and possible inherent logic. Unless otherwise specified, all steps of this application may be performed sequentially, randomly, and preferably sequentially. For example, if method M includes steps (a) and (b), it means that method M may include steps (a) and (b) performed sequentially, or steps (b) and (a) performed sequentially. Also, if method M may further include step (c), it means that step (c) may be added to method M in any order, for example, that method M may include steps (a), (b), and (c), or steps (a), (c), and (b), or steps (c), (a), and (b).

[0056] In this application, an open technical feature or technical proposal described with terms such as “containing,” “including,” or “inclusive” may be deemed, unless otherwise stated, to not exclude additional members other than the listed members, and to provide not only a closed feature or proposal consisting of the listed members, but also an open feature or proposal that further includes additional members in addition to the listed members. For example, A includes a1, a2, and a3, and unless otherwise stated, may further include other members or not, and may be deemed to provide not only a feature or proposal that “A consists of a1, a2, and a3” or “A is selected from a1, a2, and a3,” but also a feature or proposal that “A includes not only a1, a2, and a3, but also other members.”

[0057] In this application, unless otherwise stated, A (for example, B) represents a non-exclusive example of A, and A is not limited to B.

[0058] In this application, "optionally," "optional," and "optional" mean that they are not mandatory, that is, they refer to a choice between two parallel solutions: "yes" and "no." When multiple "optional" terms appear in a single technical solution, unless otherwise specified and unless there are contradictions or mutual constraints, each "optional" is independent. Unless otherwise specified, descriptions such as "optionally include" and "optionally contain" in this application mean that "it may or may not include" the selected option, using "optionally include" as an example.

[0059] In this application, unless otherwise stated, the features or schemes corresponding to "and / or" include any one of two or more related listed items, and also include any and all combinations of related listed items, and "any and all combinations" includes any two related listed items, any more related listed items, or all combinations of related listed items. For example, "A and / or B" represents a group consisting of A, B, and "combinations of A and B." Here, "including A and / or B" can mean "including A, including B, and including A and B," and can also mean "including A, including B, or including A and B," and can be appropriately understood from the wording in which it is found.

[0060] As used herein, “that combination,” “that any combination,” and “that any combination method” include all appropriate combination methods of any two or any two or more items from the listed items.

[0061] In this specification, the term "appropriate" as used in phrases such as "appropriate combination method," "appropriate method," and "any appropriate method" is equivalent to the technical proposal for which this application can be implemented.

[0062] In this specification, terms such as "preferred," "better," "more preferable," "suitable," "relatively good," and "relatively preferable" are merely used to describe embodiments or examples that exhibit better effects and should be understood as not limiting the scope of protection of this application. Where multiple "preferred" clauses appear in a single technical proposal, each "preferred" clause is independent unless otherwise specified and there are no contradictions or mutual constraints.

[0063] In this application, words such as "furthermore," "even more," "particularly," "for example," "as," "example," and "to give an example" are for explanatory purposes and indicate differences in content, but should not be understood as limiting the scope of protection of this application.

[0064] In this application, terms such as "first aspect," "second aspect," "third aspect," and "fourth aspect" are merely for descriptive purposes and should not be understood as indicating or suggesting relative importance or number, nor should they be understood as implicitly indicating the importance or number of the technical features being discussed. Furthermore, it should be understood that "first aspect," "second aspect," "third aspect," and "fourth aspect" are merely for the purpose of illustrating with non-exclusive examples and do not restrict the number in a closed manner.

[0065] In this application, the term "room temperature" generally refers to 4°C to 35°C, and may also refer to 20°C ± 5°C. In some embodiments of this application, room temperature refers to 20°C to 30°C.

[0066] In this application, regarding the units of a data range, if a unit is present only after the rightmost endpoint, it indicates that the units of the leftmost and rightmost endpoints are the same. For example, 3~5h or 3-5h both indicate that the units of the leftmost endpoint "3" and the rightmost endpoint "5" are both in hours (h), and both have the same meaning as 3h~5h. Similar descriptions relating to other parameters such as temperature and dimensions are understood in the same manner.

[0067] The weights of the relevant components mentioned in the embodiments or examples of this application may refer to the content of each component, or to the proportional relationship of the weights of each component. Therefore, as long as they expand or contract proportionally according to the content of the relevant components in the embodiments or examples of this application, they are all included within the scope described here. Furthermore, the weights involved in the embodiments or examples of this application may be in mass units known in the chemical industry, such as μg, mg, g, and kg. Unless otherwise stated, a mass ratio is equal to the corresponding weight ratio. For example, if substance A has a mass of m1 and a weight of W1, and substance B has a mass of m2 and a weight of W2, then the mass ratio of the two, m1 / m2, is numerically equal to the corresponding weight ratio, W1 / W2.

[0068] In this application, unless otherwise stated, wt% represents a weight percentage based on weight, and is numerically equivalent to the corresponding mass percentage based on mass. In this application, wt% may also be written as wt.%.

[0069] In this application, unless otherwise specified, the units of percentage (%) related to "mass percentage" and "mass fraction" may also be expressed as wt% or %(w / w).

[0070] In this application, "greater than or equal to" and "greater than or equal to" may both be represented by "≧", "less than or equal to" and "less than or equal to" may both be represented by "≦", "greater than" may be equivalently represented by ">", and "less than" may be equivalently represented by "<". In this application, unless otherwise stated, "greater than or equal to" and "≧" may be considered to provide two further solutions: "greater than" and "equal to". In this application, unless otherwise stated, "less than or equal to" and "≦" may be considered to provide two further solutions: "less than" and "equal to".

[0071] In this application, illustrative descriptions such as "in some embodiments (or examples)" or "in one embodiment (or example)" may, but are not limited to, the meaning that these solutions can be appropriately combined with other solutions to form new technical solutions.

[0072] Regarding battery casings, which provide protection to the outside of battery cells, it is required that they not only have relatively good mechanical performance to reduce the degree of damage to the battery when subjected to impact, but also have a certain level of corrosion resistance to extend the battery's lifespan. Currently, the materials that make up battery casings are mainly aluminum alloys. In some common aluminum alloys, material performance can be improved by adding relatively high levels of Mo and Zr elements, but this is relatively expensive and has certain limitations on the source of raw materials. To achieve good mechanical performance and excellent corrosion resistance simultaneously, it is necessary to develop aluminum alloy materials with different elemental compositions.

[0073] According to various embodiments and examples of this application, this application provides an aluminum alloy material, an aluminum alloy structural member, a battery housing, a battery system, a power consumption device, a manufacturing method, and applications. This aluminum alloy material has good mechanical properties and excellent corrosion resistance and can be used as the main material for the aluminum alloy structure in a battery housing, effectively extending the service life of the battery housing.

[0074] In a first aspect, the present application provides an aluminum alloy material comprising Si, Mn, Mo, Zr, Sr, Sc, B, the matrix element Al, and unavoidable impurity elements, wherein the aluminum alloy material has relatively low content of both Mo and Zr (for example, Mo content ≤0.25 wt%, Zr content ≤0.2 wt%). This aluminum alloy material has good mechanical properties and excellent corrosion resistance and can be used as the main body material for battery housings, effectively extending the service life of the battery housings.

[0075] In this application, unless otherwise stated, "aluminum alloy material is used as the main material of the battery housing" means that the aluminum alloy material is used as the main material of at least a portion of the structure of the battery housing, and the mass ratio of the aluminum alloy material in this portion of the structure may exceed 80%, may exceed 90%, may be closer to 100%, or be 100%. In this application, unless otherwise stated, "aluminum alloy material is used as the main material of a structural member or product" means that it is permissible to further enhance the material properties of the aluminum alloy material by adding other functional components without impairing the basic properties of the aluminum alloy material, in particular, the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance properties. In some embodiments, the aluminum alloy material is used as a component material of the battery housing, and in this case, the chemical composition of at least a portion of the structure or structural member of the battery housing is consistent with the aluminum alloy material, and the mass ratio of the aluminum alloy material in the relevant structure or structural member is 100%.

[0076] In this application, unless otherwise specified, "content of a certain element" refers to the mass percentage of that element in the aluminum alloy material according to this application. For example, "content of Mo" refers to the mass percentage of the element Mo in the aluminum alloy material, and "content of Zr" refers to the mass percentage of the element Zr in the aluminum alloy material. Unless otherwise specified, "content of a certain alloy phase" refers to the mass percentage of that alloy phase in the aluminum alloy material according to this application.

[0077] In some embodiments, an aluminum alloy material is provided which comprises the constituent elements Si, Mn, Mo, Zr, Sr, Sc, B, the matrix element Al, and unavoidable impurity elements. Here, the aluminum alloy material consists of an Al-Si eutectic phase and an AlB x It includes a reinforced phase and an AlSiMnSc reinforced phase, and AlB x The enhancement phase includes at least the AlB2 enhancement phase. The mass percentage of Mo in aluminum alloy materials is ≤0.25%. The mass percentage of Zr in aluminum alloy materials is ≤0.2%.

[0078] This aluminum alloy material has Al as the matrix element and contains Si (silicon), Mn (manganese), Mo (molybdenum), Zr (zirconium), Sr (strontium), Sc (scandium), and B (boron). In this aluminum alloy material, the matrix element Al forms an α-Al matrix phase, which mainly consists of primary α-Al crystals. By adding Si, Sc, B, and Mn, an Al-Si eutectic phase and AlB x Reinforcement phases and AlSiMnSc reinforcement phases can be formed, providing aluminum alloy materials with good mechanical properties, such as mechanical strength and durability. Si elements can form α-Al matrix phases and Al-Si eutectic phases, performing a strengthening effect and giving aluminum alloy materials a microstructure mainly consisting of primary α-Al crystals and Al-Si eutectic structures. The introduction of rare earth elements Sc can simultaneously improve the mechanical strength and corrosion resistance of aluminum alloy materials, producing a clear strengthening effect through solid solution and alloy phase formation, through limited solid solution, increased deformation resistance, and promotion of dislocation proliferation. Alloy phases formed with Sc elements generally include, for example, AlSiMnSc reinforcement phases. Furthermore, some Sc elements can dissolve in the matrix and improve the self-corrosion potential, while some Sc elements can reduce the potential difference between the matrix and alloy phase, reducing the tendency for galvanic corrosion. B elements can improve the growth rate of crystal nuclei by changing the crystallization conditions of aluminum alloys and can refine the crystal grains. The solubility of B elements in Al alloys is relatively low, and AlB is distributed near the eutectic structure. xIt is easy to form a strengthening phase. The element Mn can form an AlSiMnSc strengthening phase, and further contributes to demolding during the melting and refining process, and allows for the uniform distribution of the precipitated phase. The introduction of the element Sr can modify the Al-Si eutectic structure, improving mechanical properties such as mechanical strength and ductility. Furthermore, the element Sr can improve the plasticity of aluminum alloys, contributing to improved mechanical properties and reducing the ingot homogenization time. In some known aluminum alloy materials, the addition of elements Mo and Zr can improve the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of the aluminum alloy material, but often it is necessary to add relatively large amounts. Here, the element Mo is soluble in aluminum crystals and contributes to the formation of a dense passivation film of the aluminum alloy, increasing corrosion resistance, while the element Zr can refine the cast structure by inhibiting or suppressing the recrystallization process. The aluminum alloy material according to the first aspect of this application can achieve relatively good mechanical performance and excellent corrosion resistance by adding only small amounts of Mo and Zr elements through the aforementioned elemental design and alloy phase control. By collaboratively designing the elemental composition and elemental content in the aluminum alloy material, a special microstructure can be given to the manufactured aluminum alloy material, and good mechanical performance and excellent corrosion resistance can be achieved through multiple collaborative actions between each element.

[0079] In some embodiments, an aluminum alloy material is provided, which, based on mass percentage, contains 8% to 11.5% Si, 0.05% to 0.35% Sc, 0.01% to 0.4% B, 0.3% to 1.0% Mn, 0.02% to 0.25% Mo, 0.01% to 0.2% Zr, 0.02% to 0.08% Sr, a matrix element Al, and unavoidable impurity elements.

[0080] In some of these embodiments, the aluminum alloy material comprises an Al-Si eutectic phase and an AlB xIt includes a reinforcement phase and an AlSiMnSc reinforcement phase.

[0081] By rationally designing the elemental composition and elemental content of each element in an aluminum alloy and utilizing the multi-layered cooperative action between each element, it is possible to give the manufactured aluminum alloy material a special microstructure, thereby simultaneously providing good mechanical performance and excellent corrosion resistance. In the case of the above elemental composition, the aluminum alloy material consists of an α-Al matrix phase, an Al-Si eutectic phase, and AlB x It is possible to form a strengthening phase and an AlSiMnSc strengthening phase, providing aluminum alloy materials with good mechanical properties, such as mechanical strength and strength. The Si element can form an α-Al matrix phase and an Al-Si eutectic phase, performing a strengthening effect. The introduction of the rare earth element Sc can simultaneously improve the mechanical strength and corrosion resistance of aluminum alloy materials. In the form of solid solution and alloy phase formation, it can produce a clear strengthening effect through limited solid solution, increased deformation resistance, and promotion of dislocation proliferation. The alloy phase formed by the Sc element generally includes, for example, an AlSiMnSc strengthening phase. Furthermore, some Sc elements can dissolve in the matrix and improve the self-corrosion potential, and some Sc elements can reduce the potential difference between the matrix and the alloy phase, reducing the tendency for galvanic corrosion. The B element can improve the growth rate of crystal nuclei by changing the crystallization conditions of the aluminum alloy, and can perform grain refinement. The solubility of the B element in Al alloys is relatively low, and AlB is distributed near the eutectic structure. xIt is easy to form a strengthening phase. The element Mn can form an AlSiMnSc strengthening phase, and further contributes to demolding during the melting and refining process, allowing for a uniform distribution of the precipitated phase. The introduction of the element Sr can modify the Al-Si eutectic structure, improving mechanical properties such as mechanical strength and ductility. Furthermore, the element Sr improves the plasticity of the aluminum alloy, contributing to improved mechanical properties and reducing the ingot homogenization time. The element Mo can be dissolved in the aluminum crystal, contributing to the formation of a dense passivation film in the aluminum alloy and increasing corrosion resistance. The element Zr can refine the cast structure by inhibiting or suppressing the recrystallization process. Through the overall design of the element types and content described above, relatively good mechanical properties and excellent corrosion resistance can be achieved by adding only small amounts of the elements Mo and Zr.

[0082] In this application, unless otherwise stated, “matrix element” refers to the element that provides the matrix phase. When casting alloys, an ingot of the matrix element is often used as the starting material, and modifying elements are added to it to ultimately form an alloy phase containing multiple elements. In this application, the matrix element of the aluminum alloy material is Al.

[0083] In this application, unless otherwise specified, “unavoidable impurities” refers to impurity elements that are inevitably introduced during the manufacturing process, rather than being introduced intentionally.

[0084] In this application, the elemental composition, alloy phase, and alloy structure of aluminum alloy materials can be characterized and analyzed by methods including, but not limited to, X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), metallurgical microscope, and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The operation methods of these instruments and the data analysis methods are well known to those skilled in the art. Unless otherwise stated, the detection and analysis methods in the examples below may be employed, but are not limited to them.

[0085] In some embodiments, AlB in aluminum alloy materials x The mass fraction of the reinforcing phase may be 0.1% or less (corresponding to ≤0.1%), and is selectively between 0.05% and 0.1%. (AlB in aluminum alloy materials) x The mass fraction of the strengthening phase may be any one of the following percentages: 0.05%, 0.06%, 0.07%, 0.08%, 0.09%, 0.1%, or it may be selected from an interval consisting of any two of these percentages.

[0086] In some embodiments, the mass fraction of the AlSiMnSc strengthening phase in the aluminum alloy material may be ≤0.2%, and selectively between 0.07% and 0.2%. The mass fraction of the AlSiMnSc strengthening phase in the aluminum alloy material may further be any one percentage from 0.07%, 0.08%, 0.09%, 0.1%, 0.12%, 0.14%, 0.15%, 0.16%, 0.18%, 0.2%, etc., or may be selected from an interval consisting of any two percentages from these.

[0087] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, and in some embodiments, the aluminum alloy material is: AlB in aluminum alloy materials x The mass fraction of the strengthening phase is ≤0.1%, and selectively between 0.05% and 0.1%. The aluminum alloy material satisfies one or more of the following characteristics: the mass fraction of the AlSiMnSc strengthening phase is ≤0.2%, and selectively between 0.07% and 0.2% (any one of the numerical parameters of the above characteristics may be further selected from any appropriate numerical value or range in the context).

[0088] AlB x The mechanical strength of an aluminum alloy material can be adjusted by adjusting the content of one or both of the reinforcing phase and the AlSiMnSc reinforcing phase. xBy controlling the content of the reinforcing phase, it is also advantageous to reduce the adverse effects of this alloy phase on corrosion resistance. AlB x By adjusting and controlling the content of the reinforcing phase and the AlSiMnSc reinforcing phase in the aluminum alloy material within the aforementioned range, it is advantageous to simultaneously achieve good mechanical performance and excellent corrosion resistance.

[0089] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, in some embodiments, the mass percentage of silicon (Si) in the aluminum alloy material may be 8% to 11.5%, selectively 8.5% to 11.5%, and even more selectively 8.5% to 11%. The mass percentage of silicon in the aluminum alloy material may further be any one of 8%, 8.5%, 9%, 9.5%, 10%, 10.5%, 11%, 11.5%, etc., or may be selected from an interval consisting of any two of these percentages. The mass percentage of silicon in the aluminum alloy material may further be selected from any suitable range among 8% to 11%, 8% to 10.5%, 8.5% to 10.5%, 9% to 11%, 9% to 10.5%, 9% to 10%, etc.

[0090] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, in some embodiments, the mass percentage of the element Sc (scandium) in the aluminum alloy material may be 0.05% to 0.35%, selectively 0.1% to 0.35%, and even more selectively 0.1% to 0.3%. The mass percentage of the element Sc in the aluminum alloy material may further be any one of the following percentages: 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.15%, 0.2%, 0.25%, 0.3%, 0.35%, etc., or may be selected from an interval consisting of any two of these percentages. The mass percentage of the element Sc in the aluminum alloy material may further be selected from any suitable range among the following ranges: 0.15% to 35%, 0.15% to 3%, 0.1% to 0.25%, 0.15% to 0.25%, etc.

[0091] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, in some embodiments, the mass percentage of element B (boron) in the aluminum alloy material may be 0.01% to 0.4%, selectively 0.01% to 0.25%, and even more selectively 0.01% to 0.1%. The mass percentage of element B in the aluminum alloy material may further be one of the following percentages: 0.01%, 0.015%, 0.02%, 0.025%, 0.03%, 0.035%, 0.04%, 0.05%, 0.06%, 0.08%, 0.1%, 0.15%, 0.2%, 0.25%, 0.3%, 0.35%, 0.4%, or selected from an interval consisting of any two of these percentages. The mass percentage of element B in aluminum alloy materials may be further selected from any appropriate range among the following ranges: 0.01%~0.06%, 0.01%~0.05%, 0.01%~0.025%, 0.02%~0.25%, 0.02%~0.2%, 0.02%~0.1%, 0.02%~0.08%, 0.02%~0.06%, 0.02%~0.05%, 0.02%~0.025%, 0.05%~0.25%, 0.05%~0.4%, 0.05%~0.1%, etc.

[0092] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, in some embodiments, the mass percentage of Mn (manganese) in the aluminum alloy material may be 0.3% to 1.0%, selectively 0.45% to 0.95%, and even more selectively 0.45% to 0.70%. The mass percentage of Mn in the aluminum alloy material may further be one of the following percentages: 0.1%, 0.15%, 0.2%, 0.25%, 0.3%, 0.35%, 0.4%, 0.45%, 0.5%, 0.55%, 0.6%, 0.65%, 0.7%, 0.75%, 0.8%, 0.85%, 0.9%, 0.95%, 1.0%, etc., or may be selected from an interval consisting of any two of these percentages.

[0093] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, and in some embodiments, the aluminum alloy material is: The mass percentage of Si in the aluminum alloy material is 8% to 11.5%, selectively 8.5% to 11.5%, and more selectively 8.5% to 11% (and may be further selected from any appropriate content or range in the context), The mass percentage of element Sc in the aluminum alloy material is 0.05% to 0.35%, selectively 0.1% to 0.35%, and more selectively 0.1% to 0.3% (and may be further selected from any appropriate content or range in the context), The mass percentage of element B in the aluminum alloy material is 0.01% to 0.4%, selectively 0.01% to 0.25%, and more selectively 0.01% to 0.1% (and may be further selected from any appropriate content or range in the context), The aluminum alloy material satisfies one or more of the following characteristics: the mass percentage of the element Mn is 0.3% to 1.0%, selectively 0.45% to 0.95%, and more selectively 0.45% to 0.70% (furthermore, it may be selected from any appropriate content or range in the context) (any one of the numerical parameters of the above characteristics may further be selected from any appropriate numerical value or range in the context).

[0094] In this application, the content of element X may be expressed as "content of X".

[0095] By adjusting and controlling the content of Si, Sc, B, and Mn elements within the aforementioned ranges, it is possible to control the content of the Al-Si eutectic phase, AlBx-reinforced phase, and AlSiMnSc-reinforced phase. Furthermore, this is advantageous for achieving both mechanical performance and corrosion resistance, simultaneously realizing good mechanical performance and excellent corrosion resistance.

[0096] The appearance of the Al-Si eutectic phase can be achieved by adjusting and controlling the Si content to be below the eutectic point of Si (approximately 11.7%), which is advantageous in suppressing the formation of primary silicon, which is unfavorable for corrosion performance.

[0097] By controlling the Sc content within the aforementioned range, it is advantageous to improve mechanical performance and corrosion resistance while also considering costs.

[0098] By adjusting and controlling the content of B within the aforementioned range, grain refinement and AlB x In addition to effectively performing the action of the strengthening phase, AlB x The adverse effects of the alloy phase on corrosion resistance can be further suppressed.

[0099] The addition of Mn (manufacturing) can provide a reinforcing effect, primarily by solid dissolving in the Al matrix and improving the strength of the Al matrix through lattice strain. By adjusting and controlling the Mn content, the content of the AlSiMnSc strengthening phase and the MnAl6 alloy phase can be controlled, and the release process and the promotion of uniform distribution of the precipitated phase can also be adjusted and controlled. By adjusting and controlling the Mn content within the aforementioned range, it is advantageous to further enhance the mechanical properties of the aluminum alloy material.

[0100] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, in some embodiments, the aluminum alloy material comprises a MnAl6 alloy phase, and selectively, the mass fraction of the MnAl6 alloy phase in the aluminum alloy material is 0.55% to 1.25%, and more selectively, 0.45% to 1.3%. The mass fraction of the MnAl6 alloy phase in the aluminum alloy material may further be any one percentage from 0.45%, 0.5%, 0.55%, 0.6%, 0.65%, 0.7%, 0.75%, 0.8%, 0.85%, 0.9%, 0.95%, 1%, 1.05%, 1.1%, 1.15%, 1.2%, 1.25%, 1.3%, etc., or may be selected from an interval consisting of any two percentages therefrom.

[0101] The MnAl6 alloy phase can perform a complementary and strengthening effect, and adjusting the content of the MnAl6 alloy phase within the aforementioned range is advantageous for better reinforcing. The content of the MnAl6 alloy phase can be adjusted by adjusting the content of the Mn element. By increasing the content of the Mn element within a certain Mn element content range, the content of the MnAl6 alloy phase in the aluminum alloy material can be increased.

[0102] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, in some embodiments, the mass percentage of the element Mo (molybdenum) in the aluminum alloy material may be 0.02% to 0.25%, selectively 0.04% to 0.2%, and more selectively 0.05% to 0.1%. The mass percentage of the element Mo in the aluminum alloy material may further be any one of the following percentages: 0.02%, 0.04%, 0.05%, 0.06%, 0.08%, 0.1%, 0.12%, 0.15%, 0.16%, 0.18%, 0.2%, 0.24%, 0.25%, or selected from an interval consisting of any two of these percentages. The mass percentage of the element Mo in aluminum alloy materials may be further selected from any appropriate range among the following ranges: 0.02%~0.2%, 0.02%~0.15%, 0.02%~0.1%, 0.02%~0.08%, 0.04%~0.2%, 0.04%~0.15%, 0.04%~0.1%, 0.04%~0.08%, 0.05%~0.25%, 0.05%~0.2%, 0.05%~0.15%, 0.05%~0.1%, 0.05%~0.08%, etc.

[0103] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, in some embodiments, the mass percentage of the element Zr (zirconium) in the aluminum alloy material may be 0.01% to 0.2%, selectively 0.01% to 0.15%, and more selectively 0.05% to 0.15%. The mass percentage of the element Zr in the aluminum alloy material may further be one of the following percentages: 0.01%, 0.02%, 0.04%, 0.05%, 0.06%, 0.08%, 0.1%, 0.12%, 0.15%, 0.16%, 0.18%, 0.2%, or selected from an interval consisting of any two of these percentages. The mass percentage of element Zr in aluminum alloy materials may be further selected from an appropriate range among the following: 0.01%~0.1%, 0.01%~0.08%, 0.02%~0.2%, 0.02%~0.15%, 0.02%~0.1%, 0.02%~0.08%, 0.04%~0.2%, 0.04%~0.15%, 0.04%~0.1%, 0.04%~0.08%, 0.05%~0.2%, 0.05%~0.15%, 0.05%~0.1%, 0.05%~0.08%, etc.

[0104] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, and in some embodiments, the aluminum alloy material is: The mass percentage of element Mo in the aluminum alloy material is 0.02% to 0.25%, selectively 0.04% to 0.20%, and more selectively 0.05% to 0.1% (and may be further selected from any appropriate content or range in the context), The aluminum alloy material satisfies one or more of the following characteristics: the mass percentage of element Zr is 0.01% to 0.2%, selectively 0.01% to 0.15%, and more selectively 0.05% to 0.15% (furthermore, it may be selected from any appropriate content or range in the context) (any one of the numerical parameters of the above characteristics may further be selected from any appropriate numerical value or range in the context).

[0105] Mo (Mo) element can be dissolved in aluminum crystals, contributing to the formation of a dense passivation film in aluminum alloys and increasing corrosion resistance, while Zr (Zr) element can refine the cast structure by inhibiting or suppressing the recrystallization process. By controlling the content of these two elements within the above range, based on the aforementioned elemental composition and alloy phase design, aluminum alloy materials can achieve good mechanical performance as well as excellent corrosion resistance.

[0106] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, in some embodiments, the mass percentage of strontium (Sr) in the aluminum alloy material may be 0.02% to 0.08% (i.e., 200 to 800 ppm), selectively 0.02% to 0.06%, and even more selectively 0.02% to 0.05%. The mass ratio of strontium in the aluminum alloy material may further be one of the following values: 200 ppm, 250 ppm, 300 ppm, 350 ppm, 400 ppm, 450 ppm, 500 ppm, 550 ppm, 600 ppm, 650 ppm, 700 ppm, 750 ppm, 800 ppm, etc., or may be selected from an interval consisting of any two of these values. The mass ratio of Sr element in aluminum alloy materials may be further selected from any suitable range among ranges such as 200 ppm to 500 ppm and 300 ppm to 500 ppm.

[0107] In this application, 1 ppm represents one part per million, and 1 ppm = 0.0001%. For example, 200 ppm = 0.02% and 800 ppm = 0.08%.

[0108] By adjusting the Sr content, the modifying effect of Sr on the Al-Si eutectic structure can be controlled. Controlling the Sr content within a more appropriate range is advantageous for optimizing the mechanical properties of aluminum alloy materials.

[0109] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, and further in some embodiments, the aluminum alloy material comprises the matrix element Al, and the aluminum alloy material is The mass percentage of Si element in aluminum alloy materials is 8% to 11.5%, The mass percentage of the element Sc in aluminum alloy materials is 0.05% to 0.35%, The mass percentage of element B in aluminum alloy materials is 0.01% to 0.4%, The mass percentage of Mn in aluminum alloy materials is 0.3% to 1.0%, The mass percentage of the element Mo in aluminum alloy materials is 0.02% to 0.25%, The mass percentage of Zr in aluminum alloy materials is 0.01% to 0.2%, The aluminum alloy material satisfies one or more of the following characteristics: the mass percentage of Sr element in the aluminum alloy material is between 0.02% and 0.08% (any one of the numerical parameters of the above characteristics may be further selected from any appropriate numerical value or range in the context).

[0110] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, and further in some embodiments, the aluminum alloy material comprises the matrix element Al, and the aluminum alloy material is The mass percentage of Si element in aluminum alloy materials is 8.5% to 11.5%, The mass percentage of the element Sc in aluminum alloy materials is 0.1% to 0.3%, The mass percentage of element B in aluminum alloy materials is 0.01% to 0.25%, The mass percentage of Mn in aluminum alloy materials is 0.45% to 0.95%, The mass percentage of the element Mo in aluminum alloy materials is 0.04% to 0.2%, The mass percentage of the element Zr in aluminum alloy materials is 0.01% to 0.15%, The aluminum alloy material satisfies one or more of the following characteristics: the mass percentage of Sr element in the aluminum alloy material is between 0.02% and 0.06% (any one of the numerical parameters of the above characteristics may be further selected from any appropriate numerical value or range in the context).

[0111] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, and further in some embodiments, the aluminum alloy material comprises the matrix element Al, and the aluminum alloy material is The mass percentage of Si element in aluminum alloy materials is 8.5% to 11%, The mass percentage of the element Sc in aluminum alloy materials is 0.1% to 0.3%, The mass percentage of element B in aluminum alloy materials is 0.01% to 0.1%, The mass percentage of Mn in aluminum alloy materials is 0.45% to 0.70%, The mass percentage of the element Mo in aluminum alloy materials is 0.05% to 0.1%, The mass percentage of Zr in aluminum alloy materials is 0.05% to 0.15%, The aluminum alloy material satisfies one or more of the following characteristics: the mass percentage of Sr element in the aluminum alloy material is between 0.02% and 0.05% (any one of the numerical parameters of the above characteristics may be further selected from any appropriate numerical value or range in the context).

[0112] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, and in some embodiments, the aluminum alloy material contains, by mass percentage, 8.5% to 11.5% Si, 0.1% to 0.35% Sc, 0.01% to 0.25% B, 0.45% to 0.95% Mn, 0.05% to 0.2% Mo, 0.01% to 0.15% Zr, 0.02% to 0.06% Sr, the matrix element Al, and unavoidable impurity elements. The content of any one of the above elements may further refer to any suitable range or numerical value in the context.

[0113] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, and in some embodiments, the aluminum alloy material contains, by mass percentage, 8.5% to 11% of Si, 0.1% to 0.3% of Sc, 0.01% to 0.1% of B, 0.45% to 0.70% of Mn, 0.05% to 0.1% of Mo, 0.05% to 0.15% of Zr, 0.02% to 0.05% of Sr, the matrix element Al, and unavoidable impurity elements. The content of any one of the above elements may further refer to any suitable range or numerical value in the context.

[0114] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, and in some embodiments, the aluminum alloy material contains, by mass percentage, 8% to 11.5% Si, 0.05% to 0.35% Sc, 0.01% to 0.4% B, 0.3% to 1.0% Mn, 0.05% to 0.25% Mo, 0.01% to 0.2% Zr, 0.02% to 0.08% Sr, unavoidable impurity elements, and the remainder being Al. The content of any one of the above elements may further refer to any suitable range or numerical value in the context.

[0115] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, and in some embodiments, the aluminum alloy material contains, by mass percentage, 8% to 11.5% Si, 0.05% to 0.35% Sc, 0.05% to 0.4% B, 0.3% to 1.0% Mn, 0.05% to 0.25% Mo, 0.01% to 0.2% Zr, 0.02% to 0.08% Sr, unavoidable impurity elements, and the remainder being Al. The content of any one of the above elements may further refer to any suitable range or numerical value in the context.

[0116] By adjusting the types and content of each element in the aluminum alloy material, it is possible to give the aluminum alloy material good mechanical properties and excellent corrosion resistance within multiple content ranges.

[0117] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, in some embodiments, the unavoidable impurity element includes the element Fe.

[0118] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, in some embodiments, the mass percentage of the element Fe (iron) in the aluminum alloy material is ≤0.7%, and selectively <0.7%.

[0119] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, in some embodiments, the mass percentage of unavoidable impurity elements in the aluminum alloy material is ≤0.7%, and selectively <0.7%.

[0120] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, in some embodiments, the aluminum alloy material comprises an AlSiMnFe phase, and selectively, the mass fraction of the AlSiMnFe phase in the aluminum alloy material is ≤0.2%, and more selectively, ≤0.1%. The mass fraction of the AlSiMnFe phase in the aluminum alloy material may further be any one percentage from 0.01%, 0.02%, 0.05%, 0.06%, 0.08%, 0.1%, 0.12%, 0.15%, 0.16%, 0.18%, 0.2%, etc., or less than or equal to any one percentage from these, or may be selected from an interval consisting of any two percentages from these. The mass fraction of the AlSiMnFe phase in the aluminum alloy material may further be selected from any suitable range from ≤0.15%, 0.01% to 0.2%, 0.01% to 0.15%, 0.01% to 0.1%, etc.

[0121] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, in some embodiments, the aluminum alloy material comprises an AlSiMnFe / Sc alloy phase, selectively having a mass fraction of the AlSiMnFe / Sc alloy phase in the aluminum alloy material ≤ 0.2%, and selectively being between 0.07% and 0.2%. The mass fraction of the AlSiMnFe / Sc alloy phase in the aluminum alloy material may further be any one percentage from 0.07%, 0.08%, 0.1%, 0.12%, 0.15%, 0.16%, 0.18%, 0.2%, etc., or less than or equal to any one percentage from these, or may be selected from an interval consisting of any two percentages from these.

[0122] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, and in some embodiments, the aluminum alloy material is: The mass percentage of Fe in the aluminum alloy material is ≤0.7%, and selectively, the mass percentage of unavoidable impurity elements in the aluminum alloy material is <0.7% (furthermore, any appropriate content or range may be selected in the context), The aluminum alloy material contains an AlSiMnFe phase, selectively having a mass fraction of the AlSiMnFe phase in the aluminum alloy material of ≤0.2%, and more selectively having ≤0.1% (and may further be selected from any appropriate content or range in the context), The aluminum alloy material satisfies one or more of the following characteristics: it contains an AlSiMnFe / Sc alloy phase, selectively the mass fraction of the AlSiMnFe / Sc alloy phase in the aluminum alloy material is ≤0.2%, and selectively between 0.07% and 0.2% (furthermore, it may be selected from any appropriate content or range in the context) (any one of the numerical parameters of the above characteristics may further be selected from any appropriate numerical value or range in the context).

[0123] During the casting process of aluminum alloys, Fe impurities are often unavoidable in the resulting aluminum alloy. Small amounts of Fe (e.g., Fe content ≤0.7 wt%) contribute to demolding during the casting process; however, relatively high Fe content tends to reduce the corrosion resistance of the aluminum alloy material. Fe impurities can form needle-shaped AlSiMnFe phases, which have a certain strengthening effect. However, due to the large contact area and potential difference between the AlSiMnFe phase and the α-Al matrix, localized galvanic corrosion can occur. Controlling the Fe content within a relatively low range is advantageous in reducing the adverse effect of Fe on corrosion resistance.

[0124] Furthermore, the introduction of Sc can convert some of the needle-shaped AlSiMnFe phase into a fine, branched AlSiMnFe / Sc alloy phase, thereby reducing the damage to corrosion resistance caused by the needle-shaped AlSiMnFe phase.

[0125] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, in some embodiments, the mass percentage of the element Mg (magnesium) in the aluminum alloy material is ≤0.1, selectively ≤0.01%, and more selectively 0%. The mass percentage of the element Mg in the aluminum alloy material may further be any one of 0.01%, 0.02%, 0.05%, 0.06%, 0.08%, etc., or less than or equal to any one of these percentages, or may be selected from an interval consisting of any two of these percentages.

[0126] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, in some embodiments, the mass percentage of Zn (zinc) in the aluminum alloy material is ≤0.1, selectively ≤0.01%, and more selectively 0%. The mass percentage of Zn in the aluminum alloy material may further be any one of 0.01%, 0.02%, 0.05%, 0.06%, 0.08%, etc., or less than or equal to any one of these percentages, or may be selected from an interval consisting of any two of these percentages.

[0127] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, in some embodiments, the mass percentage of the element Cu (copper) in the aluminum alloy material is ≤ 0.01%, and selectively 0%. The mass percentage of the element Cu in the aluminum alloy material may further be any one of 0.005%, 0.006%, 0.008%, 0.01%, etc., or less than or equal to any one of these percentages, or may be selected from an interval consisting of any two of these percentages.

[0128] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, and in some embodiments, the aluminum alloy material is: The mass percentage of Mg in the aluminum alloy material is ≤0.1, selectively ≤0.01%, and more selectively 0% (and may be further selected from any appropriate content or range in the context), The mass percentage of Zn element in the aluminum alloy material is ≤0.1, selectively ≤0.01%, and more selectively 0% (and may be further selected from any appropriate content or range in the context), The aluminum alloy material satisfies one or more of the following characteristics: the mass percentage of Cu element is ≤0.01%, and selectively 0% (furthermore, it may be selected from any appropriate content or range in the context) (any one of the numerical parameters of the above characteristics may further be selected from any appropriate numerical value or range in the context).

[0129] In several known aluminum alloy materials, one or more of the elements Mg, Zn, and Cu are often added to enhance the alloy. In the first embodiment, when the Mg, Zn, and Cu content is limited to relatively low levels, the aluminum alloy material can achieve relatively good mechanical properties and excellent corrosion resistance.

[0130] In some embodiments, by rationally designing the elemental composition and elemental content, the aluminum alloy material is given the microstructure shown in Figure 1, which mainly consists of primary α-Al crystals and Al-Si eutectic structures, with the presence of further alloy phases such as MnAl6 and AlSiMnFe / Sc.

[0131] In yet another aspect of this application, a method for manufacturing an aluminum alloy material as described in the first aspect of this application is provided.

[0132] In some embodiments, a method for manufacturing an aluminum alloy material is provided, which is, Step S100 (Melting Refining) involves heating and melting an aluminum ingot, adding blending materials determined based on the nominal composition of the aluminum alloy material in an intermediate alloy manner, performing melt refining and slag removal to produce a refined molten body, Step S200 (molding) involves casting the refined molten material to produce an ingot, The process includes step S300 (heat treatment), in which an ingot is heat-treated and cooled to obtain an aluminum alloy material.

[0133] In this application, unless otherwise specified, "nominal component" refers to the theoretical or design value of the component of interest.

[0134] In step S100, a refined molten material is produced by melt refining. The resulting refined molten material is also referred to as a refined aluminum alloy molten material.

[0135] In this application, "melt refining" has the meaning known in the art and refers to the operation of heating and melting a solid metal to adjust its composition, and is one of the alloy casting processes. Generally, the melt refining process requires the use of a melt refining furnace, which is equipment that melts other components necessary for alloy production within the furnace and refines the material into the required alloy through operations such as slag removal and purification. Other components necessary for alloy production may include a metal ingot that provides the matrix elements and the necessary alloy components. In this application, before casting, it is necessary to first perform melt refining to obtain a refined molten material containing the components necessary for the aluminum alloy material. If the nominal composition of the aluminum alloy material is determined, a person skilled in the art can reasonably determine the method of implementing melt refining.

[0136] Each alloying element may, but is not limited to, be added in the form of an intermediate alloy. Once the nominal composition of the aluminum alloy material is determined, a person skilled in the art can select an appropriate addition temperature and timing based on the properties (e.g., melting point) of each alloying element so that the material remains in a molten state throughout the entire process, from heating and melting the aluminum ingot to producing the refined molten body.

[0137] The amount of certain elements added may need to be considered in terms of the burn rate.

[0138] In some embodiments, for each alloying element, the compounding materials are added in the order AlSi20, AlMn10, AlMo60, AlZr10, AlSr10, AlSc2, AlB3, and Al. The numbers among them represent the atomic ratio (or atomic ratio) between the elements, and different numbers correspond to different alloying symbols. Those skilled in the art will know the meaning of the corresponding symbols.

[0139] In some embodiments, the blending materials determined based on the nominal composition of the aluminum alloy material may include AlSi20, AlMn10, AlMo60, AlZr10, AlSr10, AlSc2, and AlB3, in which case all alloying elements other than aluminum are added in an intermediate alloying manner.

[0140] In this application, unless otherwise specified, "melt refining" refers to refining a material in a molten state, diffusing and thoroughly mixing the elements in the material to form a homogeneous liquid molten body.

[0141] Unrestrictively, melt refining includes purification.

[0142] In this application, "purification" has the meaning known in the art and refers to the step of removing impurities and sub-pure substances to obtain a high-purity alloy. An appropriate purification method can be selected based on the component properties of the aluminum alloy material. Non-limitingly, the purpose of purification can be achieved by adding a purifying agent. The purifying agent used in this application may be a purifying agent commonly used for aluminum alloy casting, such as a high-efficiency purifying agent (non-toxic purifying agent) or a degassing purifying agent.

[0143] In this application, "slag removal" has the meaning known in the art and refers to the step of removing slag from the molten body during the melting and refining process. During the melting and refining process, floating slag may appear on the surface of the molten body, and this floating slag can be removed by slag removal. The number of slag removal steps may be one or more.

[0144] In step S200, ingots are manufactured by casting the refined molten material obtained through melt refining. The resulting ingots are also referred to as aluminum alloy ingots.

[0145] Ingots manufactured by casting have a specific shape and dimensions. The ingot may have a predetermined shape and dimensions, which may be determined by a test sample or based on actual requirements. The shape and dimensions of the mold used during casting can control the shape and dimensions of the ingot.

[0146] In step S300, the target aluminum alloy material is produced by heat-treating the ingot obtained by casting.

[0147] Heat treatment can be achieved by maintaining the temperature of the ingot under constant temperature conditions, and the heat treatment can be completed by cooling.

[0148] In the step of heat treatment of the ingot, a heat retention method may be employed, and by selecting an appropriate heat retention temperature (also referred to as annealing temperature) and heat retention time according to the size of the ingot, a good annealing effect can be achieved. Generally, the annealing heat retention temperature may be slightly lower than the melting point, and as a non-limiting example, it may be 70% to 80% of the melting point. The larger the ingot, the longer the required heat treatment heat retention time is often, and a relatively long heat retention time contributes to improving the annealing effect. The heat retention time may be controlled within a certain time range, thereby achieving a good annealing effect and making it easier to avoid over-burning and grain coarsening as much as possible. Frequent slag removal during the heat retention process contributes to obtaining an ingot with a good shape. An appropriate heat retention time may be selected according to the size of the ingot. Generally, the heat retention time during heat treatment is at least 0.5 hours, and may be any one of the following time lengths: 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, 5 hours, 6 hours, 8 hours, 10 hours, 15 hours, 20 hours, 25 hours, 30 hours, 35 hours, 40 hours, 45 hours, 48 ​​hours, 50 hours, etc. Furthermore, it may be selected from an interval consisting of any two of these time lengths. Taking an ingot with dimensions of 20 mm × 35 mm × 10 mm as an example, the annealing time may be 1.5 hours to 3 hours, for example, 1.5 hours, 2 hours, 2.5 hours, 3 hours, etc.

[0149] Those skilled in the art can select appropriate process parameters to effectively reduce or eliminate elemental segregation within the crystal grains of aluminum alloys, thereby achieving the objective of homogenization and realizing the objective of improving the overall performance of the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of aluminum alloy materials.

[0150] In some embodiments, the step of heat-treating and cooling the ingot includes keeping the ingot warm and then cooling it.

[0151] In some embodiments, in the step of heating and cooling the ingot, the heating temperature may be 450°C to 620°C, or more precisely, 540°C to 620°C. The heating time may be determined by referring to the method described above. In some of these embodiments, the heating time may be 1 hour to 3 hours, or more precisely, 1 hour to 2 hours, for example, 1 hour, 1.5 hours, 2 hours, 2.5 hours, etc. In some other embodiments, the heating time may be 36 hours to 48 hours, or more precisely, 36 hours to 45 hours, for example, 36 hours, 40 hours, 45 hours, 48 ​​hours, etc.

[0152] In some embodiments, the ingot is heat-treated and cooled to a temperature of 20°C to 30°C.

[0153] In no particular way, the cooling medium may be an inert gas, an oil, or a method such as air cooling or furnace cooling.

[0154] In some embodiments, step S100 includes steps S110, S120, and S130.

[0155] In some embodiments, step S110 includes heating an aluminum ingot to a melt, adding a blend of raw materials containing Mn, performing melt refining, and obtaining a first molten body.

[0156] In some embodiments, step S120 includes lowering the temperature of the first molten body, adding a blend of raw materials containing Si, Mo, Zr, Sc, and B elements to the first molten body after lowering the temperature, performing melt refining, and obtaining a second molten body.

[0157] In some embodiments, step S130 includes removing slag from the second molten body, adding a refining agent, adding a blending material containing Sr element, refining, and obtaining a refined molten body.

[0158] It should be noted that slag removal in step S130 may be performed simultaneously with step S110 or step S120.

[0159] The element Sr may be added last, which is advantageous as it further enhances the modifying effect of the Sr element on the alloy phase.

[0160] In some embodiments, a method for manufacturing an aluminum alloy material is provided, which is, Step S110 involves heating an aluminum ingot to molten, adding a blend of raw materials containing Mn element, and performing melt refining to obtain a first molten body. Step S120 involves lowering the temperature of the first molten body, adding a blend of raw materials containing Si, Mo, Zr, Sc, and B elements to the first molten body after lowering, and performing melt refining to obtain a second molten body. Step S130 involves removing slag from the second molten body, adding a refining agent, adding a blended raw material containing Sr element, refining it, and obtaining a refined molten body. Step S200 involves casting the refined molten material to produce an ingot, The process includes step S300, in which an ingot is heat-treated and cooled to obtain an aluminum alloy material.

[0161] In this application, a blending material containing element X may be referred to as "X blending material," and as one example, a blending material containing element Mn may be referred to as "Mn blending material."

[0162] Generally, the amount of each compounding ingredient added can be measured and added based on the elemental composition of the aluminum alloy material and the burnout rate of each element.

[0163] In the process of manufacturing aluminum alloy materials, adding a blending material containing Mn element after melting the matrix element and then performing melt refining contributes to the demolding process and can reduce the introduction of Fe element into the mold.

[0164] In some embodiments, the aluminum ingot is heated to 740°C to 760°C in the step of heating it to molten state. Non-limiting examples of heating temperatures include 740°C, 750°C, 760°C, etc.

[0165] In some embodiments, after the step of heating the aluminum ingot to melt, a blending material containing Mn element is added, and before the step of melt refining, a heat retention step is further included, where the heat retention temperature may be 740°C to 760°C.

[0166] In some embodiments, in the step of adding a blended raw material containing Mn element and performing melt refining, the melt refining temperature may be 740°C to 760°C.

[0167] In some embodiments, after the step of cooling the first molten body, a step of holding the temperature may be further included before the step of adding a blend of raw materials containing Si, Mo, Zr, Sc, and B elements to the first molten body after cooling and performing melt refining, and the holding temperature may be 710°C to 730°C.

[0168] In some embodiments, a method for manufacturing an aluminum alloy material is provided, which is, Step S110 involves heating an aluminum ingot to 740°C to 760°C, maintaining the temperature, melting it, adding a blend of raw materials containing Mn element, and performing melt refining to obtain a first molten body. Step S120 involves lowering the temperature of the first molten body to 710°C to 730°C, adding a blend of raw materials containing Si, Mo, Zr, Sc, and B elements to the first molten body, and performing melt refining to obtain a second molten body. Step S130 involves removing slag from the second molten body, adding a refining agent, adding a blended raw material containing Sr element, refining it, and obtaining a refined molten body. Step S200 involves casting the refined molten material to produce an ingot, The process includes step S300, which involves heating the ingot at 450°C to 560°C (selectively, 540°C to 560°C) for an appropriate amount of time (selecting an appropriate heating time based on the ingot dimensions, for example, heating for 36 to 48 hours, and then for an additional 1 to 2 hours), and then cooling it (a method of water cooling to room temperature may be adopted) to obtain an aluminum alloy material.

[0169] Here, the raw material containing the element Mn may be an aluminum-manganese intermediate alloy.

[0170] In some embodiments, a method for manufacturing an aluminum alloy material is provided, which includes the following steps.

[0171] S100, pure aluminum ingots are added, heated to 740°C-760°C, kept warm, and melted. Then, in the form of an aluminum-manganese intermediate alloy, a compounding material containing Mn is added, and after the compounding material containing Mn is melted, the temperature is reduced to 710°C-730°C, and alloying element compounding materials containing Si, Mo, Zr, Sc, and B are added and melted. After the alloying element compounding materials are melted, they are allowed to stand, the slag is removed, a refining agent is added, the slag is removed, and a compounding material containing Sr is added. An ingot is obtained by casting, and selectively, Mn, Si, Mo, Zr, Sc, and B are introduced in the form and content of the corresponding intermediate alloy.

[0172] In S200, the ingot is left to stand at 450°C to 620°C (selectively, 540°C to 620°C), kept warm for an appropriate time (selecting an appropriate warming time based on the ingot dimensions, for example, 36 to 45 hours, and then for another 1 to 2 hours), and then water-cooled to room temperature (for example, 20°C to 30°C) to obtain an aluminum alloy material. The obtained aluminum alloy material can be used as an aluminum alloy material for battery housings, including, but is not limited to, an aluminum alloy material for lithium battery housings.

[0173] A second aspect of this application provides an aluminum alloy structural member which is a molded body of the aluminum alloy material described in the first aspect of this application.

[0174] In this application, unless otherwise stated, "molded body of aluminum alloy material" refers to a solid object having a specific shape and dimensions, composed of this aluminum alloy material. When manufacturing this aluminum alloy material, the shape and dimensions can be limited by a mold, thereby ensuring that the manufactured aluminum alloy material becomes a solid object having a specific shape and dimensions.

[0175] The aluminum alloy structural member, as a molded body of an aluminum alloy material described in the first aspect of this application, can have good mechanical properties and excellent corrosion resistance, and can be used as an aluminum alloy structural member in a battery housing, effectively extending the service life of the battery housing.

[0176] A third aspect of this application provides a method for manufacturing an aluminum alloy structural member, which can be manufactured using the method for manufacturing the aluminum alloy material described above.

[0177] In some embodiments, a method for manufacturing an aluminum alloy structural member is provided, which is, Step S100 (Melting Refining) involves heating and melting an aluminum ingot, adding blending materials determined based on the nominal composition of the aluminum alloy material in an intermediate alloy manner, performing melt refining and slag removal to produce a refined aluminum alloy molten body. Step S200 (shaping) involves casting a refined molten aluminum alloy to produce an aluminum alloy ingot, The process includes step S300 (heat treatment), in which an aluminum alloy ingot is heat-treated and cooled to obtain an aluminum alloy structural member.

[0178] In step S100, the aluminum alloy material may be the aluminum alloy material described in the first aspect of this application.

[0179] Since the aluminum alloy ingots produced in the S200 step have a certain shape and dimensions, and the aluminum alloy material obtained by the heat treatment and cooling in the S300 step also has a certain shape and dimensions, it is possible to obtain aluminum alloy material and aluminum alloy structural members at the same time.

[0180] The implementation methods for steps S100, S200, and S300 can be described by referring to the above-mentioned method for manufacturing aluminum alloy materials, or by referring to the embodiments or examples described below.

[0181] For this aluminum alloy structural member, the matrix elements are provided by using an aluminum ingot, the corresponding alloying elements are added, and the aluminum alloy structural member can be manufactured by melt refining and slag removal, casting, heat treatment and cooling. The shape and dimensions of the aluminum alloy structural member can be controlled by selecting a mold of the appropriate shape and dimensions in the casting step. As can be understood, the shape and dimensions of the structural member can also be adjusted after cooling to obtain an aluminum alloy structural member of the target shape and dimensions, and processing methods including, but not limited to, sandblasting and grinding may be employed.

[0182] A fourth aspect of this application provides a battery housing, which is: At least some of the structural members in the battery housing include an aluminum alloy material as described in the first aspect of this application, The battery housing includes an aluminum alloy structural member as described in the second aspect of this application, The battery housing can satisfy at least one of the following features: it includes an aluminum alloy structural member obtained by manufacturing an aluminum alloy structural member using the method for manufacturing an aluminum alloy structural member described in a third aspect of this application.

[0183] Regarding the protection that a battery housing provides to the internal battery cells, on the one hand, the battery housing needs to have relatively good mechanical strength to reduce the degree of damage to the battery when subjected to impact, and on the other hand, since the battery housing is susceptible to damage from galvanic corrosion during storage and the battery cycle process, the battery housing also needs to have a certain degree of corrosion resistance. Battery housings manufactured from the aforementioned aluminum alloy material or aluminum alloy structural members can simultaneously satisfy the requirements for mechanical performance and corrosion resistance of the battery housing.

[0184] Non-limitingly, the parts of the battery housing that include the aforementioned aluminum alloy material may include, but are not limited to, one or more of the bottom plate, top plate, and bracket. The parts of the battery housing that include the aforementioned aluminum alloy material may be integrally molded, or they may be fixedly connected in an appropriate manner, such as by seamless welding, to better match the required shape and dimensions.

[0185] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, in some embodiments, the battery housing further includes a lithium battery housing.

[0186] The aforementioned aluminum alloy material is applicable to lithium battery housings, but is not limited to them.

[0187] A fifth aspect of this application provides a battery system comprising a battery housing as described in the fourth aspect of this application and a battery cell located inside the described battery housing.

[0188] Based on any suitable embodiment of this application, in some embodiments, the battery cell further includes a liquid electrolyte.

[0189] A sixth aspect of this application provides a power consumption device comprising at least one of the following: an aluminum alloy material as described in the first aspect of this application; an aluminum alloy structural member as described in the second aspect of this application; an aluminum alloy structural member obtained by a method for manufacturing an aluminum alloy structural member as described in the third aspect of this application; a battery housing as described in the fourth aspect of this application; and a battery system as described in the fifth aspect of this application.

[0190] A seventh aspect of this application provides an application of the aluminum alloy material described in the first aspect of this application in the manufacture of at least one of the following: an aluminum alloy structural member, a battery housing, a battery system, and a power consumption device.

[0191] Using the aforementioned aluminum alloy material, the aforementioned aluminum alloy structural member, or a battery housing containing the aforementioned aluminum alloy material or aluminum alloy structural member in one or more of the battery system and power consumption device is advantageous in improving the reliability and service life of the battery system and power consumption device, reducing the degree of battery damage when subjected to impact, and improving the corrosion resistance of the battery housing, including but not limited to improving resistance to galvanic corrosion.

[0192] In this application, unless otherwise specified, "battery cell" refers to a basic unit capable of mutually converting chemical energy and electrical energy.

[0193] In some embodiments, the battery cell belongs to a fuel cell, the corresponding battery housing is a fuel cell housing, and the corresponding battery system is a fuel cell system.

[0194] In this application, unless otherwise specified, “fuel cell housing” refers to a battery housing containing a fuel cell. In this application, unless otherwise specified, “fuel cell” refers to a chemical device that directly converts the chemical energy of a fuel into electrical energy, as is known in the art, and “fuel cell” refers to a battery cell that directly converts the chemical energy of a fuel into electrical energy.

[0195] In some embodiments, the battery cell belongs to a lithium battery, the corresponding battery housing is a lithium battery housing, and the corresponding battery system is a lithium battery system. In this case, the active ions in the battery cell include lithium ions. The lithium battery may be a lithium-ion secondary battery.

[0196] In this application, unless otherwise specified, “lithium battery housing” refers to a battery housing containing lithium battery cells. In this application, unless otherwise specified, “lithium battery” refers to a type of battery whose active ions include lithium ions, as is known in the art, and “lithium battery cell” refers to a battery cell whose active ions include lithium ions.

[0197] In some embodiments, the battery cell belongs to a secondary battery, the corresponding battery housing is a secondary battery housing, and the corresponding battery system is a secondary battery system. In some of these embodiments, the battery cell may include a positive electrode plate, a negative electrode plate, and an electrolyte. During the charging and discharging process of the battery, active ions are absorbed and released by reciprocating between the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate. The electrolyte plays a role in conducting active ions between the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate. In some embodiments, the positive electrode plate, the negative electrode plate, and the separator can be manufactured as an electrode assembly by a winding process or a lamination process.

[0198] When battery cells in a battery system contain a liquid electrolyte, the requirements for corrosion resistance of the battery housing are higher, and the aforementioned battery systems and power consumption devices are more easily able to meet storage and usage requirements.

[0199] The battery housing contains at least one battery cell. The battery housing may contain one or more battery cells. This application does not particularly restrict the shape of the battery cell, which may be cylindrical, rectangular, or any other shape. In some embodiments, the battery cell may include an outer casing.

[0200] The battery cell casing may, but is not limited to, be used for packaging the electrode assembly and electrolyte.

[0201] In some embodiments, the battery cell casing may be a rigid case, such as a rigid plastic case, an aluminum case, or a steel case. The battery cell casing may also be a pouch, such as a bag-shaped pouch. The material of the pouch may be plastic, and non-limiting examples of plastics may include one or more of polypropylene, polybutylene terephthalate, and polybutylene succinate.

[0202] In some embodiments, the exterior may include a case and a cover plate. Here, the case may include a bottom plate and side plates connected to the bottom plate, and the bottom plate and side plates enclose a housing chamber. The case has an opening that communicates with the housing chamber, and the cover plate can be fitted over the opening to close the housing chamber.

[0203] Non-limitingly, the electrode assemblies described above may be packaged within a containment chamber, and in some embodiments, the liquid electrolyte may be impregnated into the electrode assemblies. The number of electrode assemblies contained in the battery cell may be one or more, and those skilled in the art can select according to their actual needs.

[0204] The battery system may be a battery module 4 or a battery pack 1.

[0205] The battery module 4 includes at least one battery cell 5. The number of battery cells 5 included in the battery module 4 may be one or more, and a person skilled in the art can select an appropriate number of battery cells based on the application and capacity of the battery module.

[0206] Figure 9 shows an example of a battery module 4. Referring to Figure 9, in the battery module 4, the multiple battery cells 5 may be arranged sequentially along the longitudinal direction of the battery module 4. Of course, they may be arranged according to any other method. Furthermore, these multiple battery cells 5 may be secured with fasteners. In some of these embodiments, the battery module 4 may further include a housing having a housing space, and the multiple battery cells 5 are housed in this housing space.

[0207] In some embodiments, the battery module 4 can be further assembled into a battery pack 1, and the number of battery modules included in the battery pack may be one or more, and those skilled in the art can select an appropriate number based on the application and capacity of the battery pack.

[0208] In some embodiments, the battery module 4 may include a battery housing, which provides a housing space in which a plurality of battery cells 5 are housed.

[0209] Figures 10 and 11 show an example battery pack 1. Referring to Figures 10 and 11, the battery pack 1 may include a battery housing and a plurality of battery modules 4 installed inside the battery housing. The battery housing includes an upper housing 2 and a lower housing 3, the upper housing 2 covering the lower housing 3 and forming a sealed space for housing the battery modules 4. The plurality of battery modules 4 may be arranged in the battery housing in any manner.

[0210] Battery cells can be used as a power source for power-consuming devices, and can also be used as energy storage units for power-consuming devices. Power-consuming devices may include, but are not limited to, mobile devices (e.g., mobile phones, laptops, etc.), electric vehicles (e.g., pure electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, electric bicycles, electric scooters, electric golf carts, electric trucks, etc.), electric trains, ships and satellites, and energy storage systems.

[0211] As a power consumption device, battery cells or battery systems can be selected according to the usage demand.

[0212] Figure 12 shows an example of a power consumption device 6. This power consumption device 6 is a pure electric vehicle, a hybrid electric vehicle, or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, etc. To meet the high power and high energy density requirements of this power consumption device for battery cells or battery systems, a battery pack or battery module may be used.

[0213] Other examples of power-consuming devices may include mobile phones, tablet computers, and laptop computers. These power-consuming devices generally require lightweight designs, and can utilize battery cells or battery systems as their power source.

[0214] Some more detailed examples of this application are described below. The examples described below are illustrative and are for interpretive purposes only, and should not be considered as limitations thereon. Unless otherwise specified in the examples, the procedures should be followed in accordance with the above description, or in accordance with the procedures or conditions described in the literature in the art, or in accordance with the product instructions. Unless otherwise specified, the reagents or equipment used are all commercially available products or can be synthesized from commercially available products in the usual way.

[0215] In the following examples, room temperature refers to a temperature of 20°C to 30°C.

[0216] To make it clear, ingots with pre-defined shapes and dimensions can be manufactured in other shapes and dimensions to meet different demands, and are not limited to the shapes and dimensions of the samples required for testing. Each of the following examples uses the same purification agent.

[0217] 1. Manufacturing of aluminum alloy materials (1) A pure aluminum ingot is added, heated to 740°C to 760°C, kept warm, and melted. Then, in the form of an aluminum-manganese intermediate alloy, a compounding material containing Mn is added, and after the compounding material containing Mn is melted, the temperature is reduced to 710°C to 730°C, and alloying element compounding materials containing Si, Mo, Zr, Sc, and B are added and melted. After the alloying compounding materials have melted, they are allowed to stand, the slag is removed, a refining agent is added, the slag is removed, and then a compounding material containing Sr is added, and an ingot having a predetermined shape and predetermined dimensions is obtained by casting. Here, the predetermined shape and predetermined dimensions are the dimensions of the sample required for the test.

[0218] (2) The ingot is left to stand at 450°C to 620°C (selectively, 540°C to 620°C), kept warm for 1 to 2 hours, and then cooled in water to room temperature (e.g., 20°C to 30°C) to obtain an aluminum alloy material. The obtained aluminum alloy material can be used as the main body material or component material of a battery housing, and can be used as the main body material or component material of a lithium battery housing, fuel cell housing, etc., including but not limited to these.

[0219] (ii) Examples and Comparative Examples Example 1. (1) Selection of alloy components Based on mass percentage, the constituent elements of the aluminum alloy material were (nominal composition): Si: 8.5%, Mn: 0.45%, Mo: 0.05%, Zr: 0.01%, Sr: 0.02%, Sc: 0.1%, B: 0.05%, with the remainder being Al. See Table 1.

[0220] The list of ingredients is shown in Table 1.

[0221] Taking the element Mn as an example, the corresponding raw materials containing Mn (as shown in Table 1) may be referred to as "Mn-containing raw materials."

[0222] [Table 1]

[0223] In Table 1, Bal. represents the matrix elements, and the remainder is shown in Table 1.

[0224] (2) Melt-refining of alloys First, a pure aluminum ingot was added to a smelting furnace, heated to 750°C, maintained the temperature, and melted. Then, Mn was added in the form of an aluminum-manganese intermediate alloy, and after the Mn-containing raw material was melted, the temperature was lowered to 720°C, and the corresponding raw materials for Si, Mo, Zr, Sc, and B were added and melted. After the above elements were melted, the mixture was allowed to stand, the slag was removed, a refining agent was added, the slag was removed, the corresponding raw material for Sr was added, and finally, an ingot was obtained by casting.

[0225] (3) Heat treatment The ingot was left to stand at 580°C for 40 hours, then cooled with water to room temperature to obtain an aluminum alloy material.

[0226] Example 2. Aluminum alloy ingots and aluminum alloy materials were manufactured using a method almost identical to that of Example 1, the only difference being the alloy composition.

[0227] Based on mass percentage, the constituent elements of the aluminum alloy material were (nominal composition): Si: 9.5%, Mn: 0.65%, Mo: 0.10%, Zr: 0.07%, Sr: 0.04%, Sc: 0.2%, B: 0.15%, with the remainder being Al.

[0228] Example 3. Aluminum alloy ingots and aluminum alloy materials were manufactured using a method almost identical to that of Example 1, the only difference being the alloy composition.

[0229] Based on mass percentage, the constituent elements of the aluminum alloy material were (nominal composition): Si: 11.5%, Mn: 0.95%, Mo: 0.20%, Zr: 0.15%, Sr: 0.06%, Sc: 0.3%, B: 0.25%, with the remainder being Al.

[0230] Example 4. Aluminum alloy ingots and aluminum alloy materials are manufactured in substantially the same manner as in Example 1, the only difference being that step (2) is different.

[0231] Step (2) in Example 4 was as follows: First, a pure aluminum ingot was added to a melting furnace, heated to 740°C, maintained the temperature, and melted. Then, Mn was added in the form of an aluminum-manganese intermediate alloy, and after the Mn-containing raw material was melted, the temperature was lowered to 710°C, and Si-containing raw material, Mo-containing raw material, Zr-containing raw material, Sc-containing raw material, and B-containing raw material were added and melted. After the above elements were melted, the mixture was allowed to stand, the slag was removed, a refining agent was added, the slag was removed, Sr-containing raw material was added, and finally, an ingot was obtained by casting.

[0232] Example 5. Aluminum alloy ingots and aluminum alloy materials are manufactured in substantially the same manner as in Example 1, the only difference being that step (2) is different.

[0233] Step (2) in Example 5 was as follows: First, a pure aluminum ingot was added to a melting furnace, heated to 760°C, maintained the temperature, and melted. Then, Mn was added in the form of an aluminum-manganese intermediate alloy, and after the Mn-containing raw material was melted, the temperature was lowered to 730°C, and Si-containing raw material, Mo-containing raw material, Zr-containing raw material, Sc-containing raw material, and B-containing raw material were added and melted. After the above elements were melted, the mixture was allowed to stand, the slag was removed, a refining agent was added, the slag was removed, Sr-containing raw material was added, and finally, an ingot was obtained by casting.

[0234] Example 6. Aluminum alloy ingots and aluminum alloy materials are manufactured in substantially the same manner as in Example 1, the only difference being that step (3) is different.

[0235] Step (3) in Example 6 was as follows: The ingot was left to stand at 540°C, kept warm for 1 hour, and then cooled with water to room temperature to obtain an aluminum alloy material.

[0236] Example 7. Aluminum alloy ingots and aluminum alloy materials are manufactured in substantially the same manner as in Example 1, the only difference being that step (3) is different.

[0237] Step (3) in Example 7 was as follows: The ingot was left to stand at 620°C, kept warm for 1.75 hours, and then cooled with water to room temperature to obtain an aluminum alloy material.

[0238] Example 8. Aluminum alloy ingots and aluminum alloy materials are manufactured in substantially the same manner as in Example 1, the only difference being that step (3) is different.

[0239] Step (3) in Example 8 was as follows: The ingot was left to stand at 450°C, kept warm for 2 hours, and then cooled with water to room temperature to obtain an aluminum alloy material.

[0240] Example 9. Aluminum alloy ingots and aluminum alloy materials were produced in a method substantially the same as that of Example 1, with the difference being that step (3) was different.

[0241] Step (3) in Example 9 was as follows. The ingot was allowed to stand at 550 °C, held for 1.25 h, and then water-cooled to room temperature to obtain an aluminum alloy material.

[0242] Comparative Example 1. (1) Selection of alloy components Based on mass percentage, the composition elements of the aluminum alloy material were (nominal components): Si: 7.5%, Cu: 2.5%, Mg: 0.1%, Zn: 0.2%, Mn: 0.02%, Fe: 0.7%, and the balance Al.

[0243] (2) Melting and refining of the alloy First, pure aluminum ingots were added to a melting and refining furnace, heated to 740 °C, held, melted, and then Mn was added. After melting Mn, Cu was added. After the temperature was lowered to 710 °C, the remaining alloy elements such as Si, Ti, Zn, and Sr were added for melting. After melting the above elements, Mg was added. After melting the Mg element, it was allowed to stand, slag was removed, a refining agent was added, slag was removed again, Ti and Sr were added, and finally an ingot was obtained by casting.

[0244] (3) Heat treatment The ingot was allowed to stand at 550 °C, protected for 2 h, and then water-cooled to room temperature to obtain an aluminum alloy material, which can be used as a material for battery casings, such as lithium battery casings, fuel cell casings, etc.

[0245] Comparative Example 2. Aluminum alloy ingots and aluminum alloy materials were produced in a method substantially the same as that of Comparative Example 1, with the difference being that step (2) was different.

[0246] Step (2) in Comparative Example 2 was as follows: First, a pure aluminum ingot was added to a melting furnace, heated to 800°C, kept warm, and melted. Then Mn was added, and after the Mn had melted, Cu was added. After the temperature was lowered to 750°C, the remaining alloying elements such as Si, Ti, Zn, and Sr were added and melted. After the above elements had melted, Mg was added, and after the Mg element had melted, it was allowed to stand, the slag was removed, a refining agent was added, the slag was removed, Ti and Sr were added, and finally an ingot was obtained by casting.

[0247] Comparative Example 3. Aluminum alloy ingots and aluminum alloy materials were manufactured using a method substantially the same as in Example 1, the only difference being that the alloy composition was substantially the same as that of A380 aluminum alloy.

[0248] Comparative Example 4. An aluminum alloy ingot and an aluminum alloy material were manufactured using a method substantially the same as in Example 1, the only difference being that the alloy composition was substantially the same as that of AlSi9MnMoZr aluminum alloy.

[0249] The nominal composition of the aluminum alloy materials in each example and comparative example can be found in Table 2.

[0250] [Table 2]

[0251] In Table 2, " / " indicates that this elemental component is not actively added.

[0252] The chemical composition of the A380 aluminum alloy in Comparative Example 3 can be found in Table 3.

[0253] [Table 3]

[0254] In Table 3, " / " indicates that this elemental component is not actively added.

[0255] II. Test Analysis Method (I) Analysis of Actual Components Elemental analysis was performed using an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP instrument, Avio 5000) to accurately measure the actual components of the aluminum alloy material.

[0256] (II) Microstructure Analysis 1. Phase Analysis X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to detect the phases with relatively high contents.

[0257] XRD Test Equipment and Parameters: D8 Advance Da Vinci X, Cu Kα1, Scanning Range (2θ) 20° - 110°, Scanning Speed 5° / min.

[0258] It should be noted that when detecting phases by XRD, obvious diffraction peaks exist only when the phase content is greater than 5 wt%. Low-content alloy phases with a content not exceeding 5% were analyzed by an energy spectrometer (EDS, Energy Dispersive Spectrometer).

[0259] FESEM+EDS Test Equipment and Parameters: A field emission scanning electron microscope FEI NOVA NanoSEM 230, with an English name of "FESEM+EDS", a probe type (det) of ETD, and an acceleration voltage (HV) of 15 kV. The remaining parameters can be exemplified by Figure 3. In Figure 3, the magnification (mag) is 1000 times (1000X), the working distance (WD) is 6.5 millimeters (mm), the image width (HFW) is 298 microns (μm), and the spot diameter (spot) is 5.5 nanometers (nm).

[0260] 2. Metallographic Analysis Equipment and Test Parameters: A CX40M metallurgical microscope, with magnifications including 25 times, 100 times, 200 times, 500 times, and 1000 times, and other magnifications can also be selected.

[0261] 3. Method for analyzing the mass fraction of different alloy phases: JMATPro simulation calculation.

[0262] (iii) Mechanical performance testing and corrosion detection The aluminum alloy materials produced in Examples 1-9 and Comparative Examples 1-4 were subjected to hardness detection, tensile strength detection, and corrosion detection using the method described in "GB / T 4340.1-1999 Vickers hardness test for metals, Part 1: Test method".

[0263] 1. Hardness detection Equipment: Hardness meter.

[0264] Test parameters: Load 0.1kg.

[0265] 2. Tensile test: (1) The sample dimensions are as shown in Figure 8, in millimeters (mm), where R2.5 indicates a radius of 2.5 millimeters.

[0266] (2) Test equipment: Z20 universal electronic test machine.

[0267] (3) Test analysis method: Tensile samples of aluminum alloy material were wrapped in blue film, leaving only the test surface exposed. The total test duration was 600 hours, during which one batch of samples was taken every 24 hours to test the tensile performance, with at least three parallel samples set up for each test.

[0268] Mechanical performance tests were performed on tensile samples at different corrosion stages to obtain stress-strain curves, which were then analyzed to obtain tensile fracture strength (UTS, or sometimes referred to as tensile strength or ultimate tensile strength), elongation at fracture (El, or sometimes abbreviated as El), and yield strength (YS, or sometimes abbreviated as YS). It was shown that a higher elongation at fracture indicates better ductility of the material.

[0269] (4) The morphology of the tensile fracture site may be analyzed by FEI NOVA NanoSEM 230 test.

[0270] 3. Corrosion Test (1) Electrochemical corrosion test Electrochemical corrosion testing includes open-circuit voltage testing, AC impedance testing, and potential-dynamic polarization testing.

[0271] Test solution: 3.5 wt% NaCl aqueous solution.

[0272] Before testing, die-cast aluminum alloy was cut into 10mm x 10mm x 2mm samples, cold-mounted with epoxy resin, and then measured over an area of ​​1cm². 2 We ensured that only the test surface was exposed. The test surface was then similarly ground with sandpaper, followed by polishing with an abrasive until the sample surface was clean and shiny. After cleaning the surface with ethanol, it was dried and prepared for use.

[0273] During the test, the open-circuit voltage (OCP) of the sample was measured first. After the OCP stabilized for 60 minutes, an AC impedance test (EIS) was performed on the sample, and the electrochemical impedance spectrum of the sample was measured at different AC frequencies. During the test, a 10mV AC sine wave was used as the excitation voltage, and the test frequency was controlled within 0.01 Hz to 105 Hz.

[0274] After the test was completed, the EIS results were fitted to the equivalent circuit, and the parameters of each element in the equivalent circuit diagram were analyzed. After the AC impedance experiment, a potentiometric polarization test was performed on the sample. Scanning was performed from a potential of OCP -300mV at a scanning speed of 0.167 mV / s, and continued until the current exceeded 1mA. After the test was completed, Tafel fitting was performed on the polarization characteristics of the sample using ZSimpWin v3.40 software.

[0275] (2) Salt spray corrosion test A 3.5 wt% NaCl aqueous solution was used, and the test was conducted at 35°C.

[0276] The macromorphology, micromorphology, corrosion mass loss, and corrosion rate of enclosure materials were analyzed from a total test period of 600 hours, with each test conducted every 24 hours.

[0277] Before testing, a 15mm x 15mm x 2mm bulk aluminum alloy sample was wrapped with a blue film on the non-test surface. After grinding, polishing, and drying the test surface, it was weighed (W0). The total test duration was 600h, and during the test, one batch of sample was taken every 24 hours to prepare for observation of the surface macromorphology and micromorphology. After observation, corrosion products on the sample surface were removed using a chromic acid cleaning agent (20g / L Cr2O3 + 50mL / L H3PO4), and the sample was weighed again to calculate the corrosion rate and observe the morphology. The test duration of the i-th sampling was denoted as Ti, and the weighing at the i-th sampling was denoted as Wi. At least three parallel samples were set up for each test.

[0278] (A) Macromorphological testing method Sample: The corrosion time points at which samples were taken were as described above.

[0279] Equipment: CX40M metallurgical microscope. The aforementioned test method may be used.

[0280] (B) Micromorphological testing method Sample: The corrosion time points at which samples were taken were as described above.

[0281] Equipment: FEI NOVA NanoSEM 230. The aforementioned test method may also be used.

[0282] (C) Method for analyzing corrosion mass loss and corrosion rate The mass loss for the i-th sampling is W = W0 - Wi.

[0283] The corrosion rate Ri at the i-th sampling can be calculated by substituting it into equation (I).

[0284] Corrosion rate = (K × W) / (A × Ti × D) mm / y (I) In equation (I), K = 8.64 × 10 4 And K is a time constant, W is the mass difference value before and after the test = W0 - Wi, and the unit is mg. A has a test surface area of ​​2.25 cm². 2 The unit is cm. 2 And, Ti is the test time for the i-th sampling, and its unit is h. D = 2.7 g / cm³ 3 And D was the material density.

[0285] "mm / y" represents millimeters per year.

[0286] (3) Immersion corrosion test A 3.5 wt% NaCl aqueous solution was used.

[0287] The stepwise immersion corrosion test involves analyzing the macromorphology, micromorphology, and corrosion rate of the housing material, with a total test time of 30 days in increments of 10 days. In the application, 1 day = 1 day.

[0288] The samples subjected to the immersion corrosion test may be in bulk form measuring 15mm x 15mm x 2mm.

[0289] Before testing, the test surface was ground and polished, then rinsed with deionized water and ethanol in that order, dried, weighed, and then placed in a drying oven for storage in preparation for use. During testing, the sample was placed in a container and 500 mL of etching solution was added. The etching solution was a 3.5 wt% NaCl aqueous solution. After sealing, the entire container was placed in a constant temperature water bath and the temperature was set to 25°C. A sample was taken once every 10 days (i.e., the test times were 10d, 20d, and 30d respectively), and the macro and micro morphologies of the sample surface after etching were observed. Subsequently, the etching products on the sample surface were removed, the sample mass before and after etching was compared, and the corresponding immersion etching rate was calculated. Three parallel samples were set up for each test.

[0290] III. Test Result Analysis The experimental group in Example 1 was also labeled "N2," and the manufactured aluminum alloy material was also labeled as N2 alloy.

[0291] (1) Comparison of nominal ingredients and actual ingredients Taking Example 1 as an example, the ICP test results showed that the actual composition of the aluminum alloy material was relatively close to its nominal composition, and that the melt refining effect was relatively good. You may also refer to Table 4. In each example, no Cu, Mg, or Zn elements were detected.

[0292] [Table 4]

[0293] In Table 4, " / " indicates that this elemental component is not actively added.

[0294] In Table 4, elemental content refers to the mass percentage content in the aluminum alloy material, and the unit is wt%.

[0295] (2) Phase analysis The differences between Examples 1-7 were mainly in the size of the crystal grains and the distribution of the alloy phases, and no significant differences were observed. Example 1 is described as an example. The microstructure of the aluminum alloy material produced in Example 1 may be shown in Figure 1, the microstructure and elemental distribution diagram may be shown in Figure 2, and the point scan diagram (SEM-EDS image) of FESEM+EDS and the analysis results of four exemplary point scan positions may be shown in Figure 3, where "-" indicates below the detection limit. According to Figure 3, the chemical composition and distribution position of the alloy phases can be analyzed.

[0296] According to the analysis method described above, the aluminum alloy material of Example 1 mainly consists of a primary α-Al matrix and a fine fibrous Al-Si eutectic structure, and AlB x It contained a strengthening phase and an AlSiMnSc strengthening phase, and further alloy phases such as MnAl6 and acicular AlSiMnFe / Sc were also present. Here, AlB x The strengthening phase is AlB 12 The mixture contains a phase that is a granular, B-rich phase. The introduction of Sc reduced the adverse effects of the impurity phase by decreasing the needle-shaped AlSiMnFe phase.

[0297] Simulation calculations revealed that the mass fractions of the multiple different alloy phases in each embodiment matched the following:

[0298] AlB in aluminum alloy materials x The mass fraction of the strengthening phase satisfies the range of 0.05% to 0.1%. The mass fraction of the AlSiMnSc strengthening phase in the aluminum alloy material satisfies the range of 0.07% to 0.2%. The mass fraction of the MnAl6 alloy phase in the aluminum alloy material met the range of 0.55% to 1.25%, and also the range of 0.45% to 1.3%.

[0299] The mass fraction of the AlSiMnFe phase in the aluminum alloy material satisfies ≤0.2%, and also satisfies ≤0.1%. The mass fraction of the AlSiMnFe / Sc alloy phase in the aluminum alloy material satisfied the condition of ≤0.2%, and further satisfied the condition of 0.07% to 0.2%.

[0300] (iii) Mechanical performance testing and corrosion detection According to the results of mechanical performance tests and corrosion detection tests, each of Examples 1 to 9 exhibited good mechanical performance and excellent corrosion resistance, clearly superior to Comparative Examples 1 to 4.

[0301] Figure 4 shows curves of how the mass fraction, elastic modulus, thermal conductivity, and density of the AlSi9MnMoZr alloy material and the aluminum alloy material (N2 alloy) in Example 1 change with temperature. These curves were obtained based on Jmatpro analysis, where the mass fraction refers to the mass fraction of the aluminum alloy material at different temperatures relative to the initial mass of the unheated aluminum alloy material, reflecting the weight loss due to heating of the aluminum alloy material. Several indicators of the N2 alloy are shown.

[0302] Figure 5 shows the potential-dynamic polarization curve of the aluminum alloy material in Example 1, where the horizontal axis is the chemical potential (in V) and the vertical axis is the current density (A / cm²). 2 Figure 6 shows the AC impedance test results for the aluminum alloy material (N2 alloy) in Example 1. At both low and high frequencies, the N2 alloy showed higher impedance and phase angle. The capacitance loop diameter of the N2 alloy is larger, and R sl and R ct Both values ​​were higher than those of the AlSi9MnMoZr alloy, indicating that the N2 alloy has superior capacitance performance and higher charge transfer resistance. Furthermore, the corrosion current density of the N2 alloy (I corr ) was only 27.8% of that of the AlSi9MnMoZr alloy, and its polarization resistance (Rp) was also higher. Here, R sl , R ct The values ​​shown represent the surface resistance and charge transfer resistance of each alloy used as the working electrode.

[0303] Figure 7 shows the surface macromorphology of an aluminum alloy material after different corrosion time intervals in a salt spray corrosion test in Example 1, with samples taken daily over 24 days (d).

[0304] The results of the mechanical performance tests and corrosion rate analysis for each example and comparative example are further summarized in Table 5. The corrosion rates in Table 5 were calculated based on the results of the salt spray test. The results of other corrosion tests were in close agreement with those of the salt spray test.

[0305] [Table 5]

[0306] The hardness, tensile strength, and elongation values ​​in Table 5 are all initial values ​​after the aluminum alloy material was manufactured and had not been corroded. The test analysis results for each comparative example are described using Comparative Example 3 as an example.

[0307] In Comparative Example 3, the A380 alloy mainly consisted of a columnar or nearly equiaxed α-Al matrix phase and a fine Al-Si eutectic structure. In addition, near the eutectic structure, there was a portion of bone-like or needle-like alloy phase. Some of the Cu elements in the A380 alloy were solid-dissolved in the α-Al matrix, while another portion formed a bone-like or needle-like Cu-rich phase, which, according to elemental analysis, was an Al2Cu phase.

[0308] Salt spray corrosion tests were performed on A380 die-cast aluminum alloy (Comparative Example 3), and the surface macromorphology of the samples after different corrosion times was observed. The A380 alloy corroded relatively severely, and a relatively large amount of white corrosion product accumulated on the sample. Because overall corrosion occurred, when the corrosion time was relatively short (1d to 6d), the alloy surface was rapidly covered with corrosion product. Subsequently, both the area and thickness of the corrosion product deposition on the surface increased continuously with increasing corrosion time, and the sample surface showed a characteristic transition from a dark color due to initial corrosion to being covered with a large amount of white corrosion product.

[0309] Microstructural results from the early and late stages of salt spray corrosion testing of A380 die-cast aluminum alloy (Comparative Example 3) showed that the A380 alloy exhibited a uniform corrosion morphology throughout, and that the corrosion of the A380 alloy was relatively severe, with a relatively large amount of corrosion products. The corrosion products on the surface of the A380 alloy were relatively numerous and relatively thick.

[0310] Microstructural results of the die-cast aluminum alloy after removing corrosion products from A380 die-cast aluminum alloy (Comparative Example 3) showed that a large number of corrosion pits were distributed around the Al-Si eutectic structure of the A380 alloy. The distribution of the Al2Cu phase near the Al-Si eutectic structure further exacerbated the grain boundary corrosion tendency of the Al-Si eutectic structure. Furthermore, the solid solution of a small amount of Cu in the matrix increased the potential difference between the grain boundaries and within the grains. The potential of the Al2Cu phase was relatively positive, as was the potential of the matrix phase with a relatively high Cu content. In this case, the matrix with a relatively low Cu content acted as the cathode phase, forming a localized electrochemical microcell with the nearby Cu-rich matrix phase and Al2Cu phase. This led to continuous corrosion of the Cu-lean solid solution matrix phase, causing grain boundary disappearance.

[0311] Analysis of the mass loss and corresponding corrosion rates of A380 die-cast aluminum alloy (Comparative Example 3) after different salt spray corrosion time periods revealed that both the corrosion weight loss and corrosion rate of the A380 alloy were relatively high.

[0312] Based on the test analysis results of tensile tests, we analyzed the trends in changes in mechanical properties and corrosion time. We found that the yield strength and tensile strength of A380 alloy (Comparative Example 3) tended to decrease rapidly with increasing corrosion time, which was particularly evident in the early stages of corrosion (1d to 4d), when the yield strength and tensile strength decreased to 77.5% and 76% of their pre-corrosion levels, respectively. After that, the rate of performance decay slowed down, and we found that the yield strength and tensile strength ultimately decreased to 65.4% and 52.5% of their pre-corrosion levels, respectively.

[0313] The above descriptions of each embodiment and example tend to emphasize the differences between each embodiment and example, and the similarities or similarities can be referenced to one another; for the sake of brevity, these will not be described further in this specification.

[0314] The technical features of the embodiments or examples described above can be combined in any way, and for the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the embodiments or examples described above are described. However, as long as these combinations of technical features are inconsistent, they should be considered to fall within the scope described herein.

[0315] It should be noted that this application is not limited to the above embodiments and examples. The above embodiments and examples are merely examples, and any embodiment that has substantially the same configuration as the technical idea and exhibits the same effects within the scope of the technical proposal of this application is included within the technical scope of this application. The above embodiments and examples are merely examples of some embodiments of this application, and although their descriptions are relatively detailed, this should not be understood as limiting the scope of the patent. Furthermore, other forms constructed by adding various modifications to the above embodiments or examples that a person skilled in the art could conceive, and by combining some of the components in the embodiments or examples, are also included within the scope of this application, as long as they do not deviate from the spirit of this application. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0316] 1 Battery pack 2 Upper cabinet 3 Lower cabinet 4 Battery Modules 5 battery cells 6 Power consumption equipment.

Claims

1. An aluminum alloy material containing the constituent elements Si, Mn, Mo, Zr, Sr, Sc, B, the matrix element Al, and unavoidable impurity elements, The aforementioned aluminum alloy material consists of an Al-Si eutectic phase and AlB ｘ The AlB includes a strengthening phase and an AlSiMnSc strengthening phase. ｘ The strengthening phase is at least AlB ２ Including the reinforcement phase, The mass percentage of Mo in the aforementioned aluminum alloy material is ≤ 0.25%. An aluminum alloy material in which the mass percentage of Zr is ≤ 0.2%.

2. An aluminum alloy material comprising, by mass percentage, 8% to 11.5% of Si, 0.05% to 0.35% of Sc, 0.01% to 0.4% of B, 0.3% to 1.0% of Mn, 0.02% to 0.25% of Mo, 0.01% to 0.2% of Zr, 0.02% to 0.08% of Sr, a matrix element Al, and unavoidable impurity elements.

3. The aforementioned aluminum alloy material consists of an Al-Si eutectic phase and AlB ｘ The aluminum alloy material according to claim 2, comprising a reinforcing phase and an AlSiMnSc reinforcing phase.

4. The AlB in the aluminum alloy material ｘ The mass fraction of the strengthening phase is ≤ 0.1%, and selectively between 0.05% and 0.1%. The aluminum alloy material according to claim 1, wherein the mass fraction of the AlSiMnSc strengthening phase in the aluminum alloy material is ≤ 0.2%, and selectively between 0.07% and 0.2%, satisfying one or more of these characteristics.

5. The aforementioned aluminum alloy material is The mass percentage of Si element in the aforementioned aluminum alloy material is 8% to 11.5%, selectively 8.5% to 11.5%, and more selectively 8.5% to 11%. The mass percentage of Sc element in the aforementioned aluminum alloy material is 0.05% to 0.35%, selectively 0.1% to 0.35%, and more selectively 0.1% to 0.3%. The mass percentage of element B in the aforementioned aluminum alloy material is 0.01% to 0.4%, selectively 0.01% to 0.25%, and more selectively 0.01% to 0.1%. The aluminum alloy material according to claim 1, wherein the mass percentage of the element Mn in the aluminum alloy material is 0.3% to 1.0%, selectively 0.45% to 0.95%, and more selectively 0.45% to 0.70%, satisfying one or more of these characteristics.

6. The aforementioned aluminum alloy material is MnAl ６ The alloy phase is included, and selectively, the MnAl in the aluminum alloy material. ６ The aluminum alloy material according to claim 1, wherein the mass fraction of the alloy phase is 0.55% to 1.25%, and more selectively 0.45% to 1.3%.

7. The aforementioned aluminum alloy material is The mass percentage of element Mo in the aforementioned aluminum alloy material is 0.02% to 0.25%, selectively 0.04% to 0.2%, and more selectively 0.05% to 0.1%. The aluminum alloy material according to claim 1, wherein the mass percentage of the element Zr in the aluminum alloy material is 0.01% to 0.2%, selectively 0.01% to 0.15%, and more selectively 0.05% to 0.15%.

8. The aluminum alloy material according to claim 1, wherein the mass percentage of Sr element in the aluminum alloy material is 0.02% to 0.08%, selectively 0.02% to 0.06%, and more selectively 0.02% to 0.05%.

9. The aluminum alloy material according to claim 1, wherein, based on mass percentage, the aluminum alloy material contains 8.5% to 11.5% of Si, 0.1% to 0.35% of Sc, 0.01% to 0.25% of B, 0.45% to 0.95% of Mn, 0.05% to 0.2% of Mo, 0.01% to 0.15% of Zr, 0.02% to 0.06% of Sr, the matrix element Al, and the aforementioned unavoidable impurity elements.

10. The aluminum alloy material according to claim 1, wherein, based on mass percentage, the aluminum alloy material contains 8.5% to 11% of Si, 0.1% to 0.3% of Sc, 0.01% to 0.1% of B, 0.45% to 0.70% of Mn, 0.05% to 0.1% of Mo, 0.05% to 0.15% of Zr, 0.02% to 0.05% of Sr, the matrix element Al, and the aforementioned unavoidable impurity elements.

11. The aluminum alloy material according to claim 1, wherein, based on mass percentage, the aluminum alloy material contains 8% to 11.5% of Si, 0.05% to 0.35% of Sc, 0.01% to 0.4% of B, 0.3% to 1.0% of Mn, 0.05% to 0.25% of Mo, 0.01% to 0.2% of Zr, 0.02% to 0.08% of Sr, the unavoidable impurity elements, and the remainder of Al.

12. The aluminum alloy material according to claim 1, wherein, based on mass percentage, the aluminum alloy material contains 8% to 11.5% of Si, 0.05% to 0.35% of Sc, 0.05% to 0.4% of B, 0.3% to 1.0% of Mn, 0.05% to 0.25% of Mo, 0.01% to 0.2% of Zr, 0.02% to 0.08% of Sr, the unavoidable impurity elements, and the remainder of Al.

13. The aluminum alloy material according to claim 1, wherein the aforementioned unavoidable impurity element includes the element Fe.

14. The mass percentage of Fe element in the aluminum alloy material is ≤ 0.7%, and selectively, the mass percentage of the unavoidable impurity element in the aluminum alloy material is < 0.7%. The aluminum alloy material contains an AlSiMnFe phase, and selectively, the mass fraction of the AlSiMnFe phase in the aluminum alloy material is ≤0.2%, and more selectively, ≤0.1%. The aluminum alloy material according to claim 1, wherein the aluminum alloy material contains an AlSiMnFe / Sc alloy phase, selectively satisfies one or more of the following characteristics: the mass fraction of the AlSiMnFe / Sc alloy phase in the aluminum alloy material is ≤0.2%, and selectively is between 0.07% and 0.2%.

15. The aforementioned aluminum alloy material is The mass percentage of Mg in the aforementioned aluminum alloy material is ≤0.1%, selectively ≤0.01%, and further selectively 0%. The mass percentage of Zn element in the aforementioned aluminum alloy material is ≤0.1%, selectively ≤0.01%, and further selectively 0%. The aluminum alloy material according to claim 1, wherein the mass percentage of Cu element in the aluminum alloy material is ≤ 0.01%, and selectively 0%, satisfies one or more of these characteristics.

16. An aluminum alloy structural member, which is a molded body of the aluminum alloy material described in claim 1.

17. A method for manufacturing aluminum alloy structural members, A step of producing a refined aluminum alloy molten body by heating and melting an aluminum ingot, adding blending materials determined based on the nominal composition of the aluminum alloy material described in claim 1 in the manner of an intermediate alloy, performing melt refining and slag removal, The steps include: casting the aforementioned refined molten aluminum alloy to produce an aluminum alloy ingot; A method for manufacturing an aluminum alloy structural member, comprising the steps of heat-treating the aluminum alloy ingot, cooling it, and obtaining the aluminum alloy structural member.

18. A battery housing, wherein the battery housing is A battery housing that satisfies the condition that at least some of the structural members of the battery housing include the aluminum alloy material described in claim 1.

19. A battery system comprising a battery housing according to claim 18 and a battery cell located inside the battery housing.

20. The battery system according to claim 19, wherein the battery cell includes a liquid electrolyte.

21. A power consumption device comprising at least one of the following: an aluminum alloy material according to any one of claims 1 to 15, an aluminum alloy structural member according to claim 16, an aluminum alloy structural member obtained by manufacturing an aluminum alloy structural member according to the method for manufacturing an aluminum alloy structural member according to claim 17, a battery housing according to claim 18, and a battery system according to claim 19 or 20.

22. An application of the aluminum alloy material according to any one of claims 1 to 15 in the manufacture of at least one of an aluminum alloy structural member, a battery housing, a battery system, and a power consumption device.

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