The Effect of Impurities on the Processing of Aluminum Alloys

For this Aluminum Industry of the Future (IOF) project, the effect of impurities on the processing of aluminum alloys was systematically investigated. The work was carried out as a collaborative effort between the Pennsylvania State University and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Industrial support was provided by ALCOA and ThermoCalc, Inc. The achievements described below were made. A method that combines first-principles calculation and calculation of phase diagrams (CALPHAD) was used to develop the multicomponent database Al-Ca-K-Li-Mg-Na. This method was extensively used in this project for the development of a thermodynamic database. The first-principles approach provided some thermodynamic property data that are not available in the open literature. These calculated results were used in the thermodynamic modeling as experimental data. Some of the thermodynamic property data are difficult, if not impossible, to measure. The method developed and used in this project allows the estimation of these data for thermodynamic database development. The multicomponent database Al-Ca-K-Li-Mg-Na was developed. Elements such as Ca, Li, Na, and K are impurities that strongly affect the formability and corrosion behavior of aluminum alloys. However, these impurity elements are not included in the commercial aluminum alloy database. The process of thermodynamic modeling began from Al-Na, Ca-Li, Li-Na,more » K-Na, and Li-K sub-binary systems. Then ternary and higher systems were extrapolated because of the lack of experimental information. Databases for five binary alloy systems and two ternary systems were developed. Along with other existing binary and ternary databases, the full database of the multicomponent Al-Ca-K-Li-Mg-Na system was completed in this project. The methodology in integrating with commercial or other aluminum alloy databases can be developed. The mechanism of sodium-induced high-temperature embrittlement (HTE) of Al-Mg is now understood. Using the thermodynamic database developed in this project, thermodynamic simulations were carried out to investigate the effect of sodium on the HTE of Al-Mg alloys. The simulation results indicated that the liquid miscibility gap resulting from the dissolved sodium in the molten material plays an important role in HTE. A liquid phase forms from the solid face-centered cubic (fcc) phase (most likely at grain boundaries) during cooling, resulting in the occurrence of HTE. Comparison of the thermodynamic simulation results with experimental measurements on the high-temperature ductility of an Al-5Mg-Na alloy shows that HTE occurs in the temperature range at which the liquid phase exists. Based on this fundamental understanding of the HTE mechanism during processing of aluminum alloy, an HTE sensitive zone and a hot-rolling safe zone of the Al-Mg-Na alloys are defined as functions of processing temperature and alloy composition. The tendency of HTE was evaluated based on thermodynamic simulations of the fraction of the intergranular sodium-rich liquid phase. Methods of avoiding HTE during rolling/extrusion of Al-Mg-based alloys were suggested. Energy and environmental benefits from the results of this project could occur through a number of avenues: (1) energy benefits accruing from reduced rejection rates of the aluminum sheet and bar, (2) reduced dross formation during the remelting of the aluminum rejects, and (3) reduced CO2 emission related to the energy savings. The sheet and extruded bar quantities produced in the United States during 2000 were 10,822 and 4,546 million pounds, respectively. It is assumed that 50% of the sheet and 10% of the bar will be affected by implementing the results of this project. With the current process, the rejection rate of sheet and bar is estimated at 5%. Assuming that at least half of the 5% rejection of sheet and bar will be eliminated by using the results of this project and that 4% of the aluminum will be lost through dross (Al2O3) during remelting of the rejects, the full-scale industrial implementation of the project results would lead to energy savings in excess of 6.2 trillion Btu/year and cost savings of $42.7 million by 2020. « less