Patent ID: 11421310

Abstract:
A precipitation hardenable aluminum alloy is disclosed along with a precipitation hardened form of the aluminum alloy and a method of manufacturing an aluminum alloy article from the precipitation hardenable aluminum alloy. The disclosed precipitation hardenable aluminum alloy has a composition that includes, on a weight percent (wt %) basis, 8%-13% zinc, 1.5%-5% magnesium, 0%-5% copper, 0%-2% of zirconium, chromium, or zirconium and chromium in total, and the balance aluminum with no more than 0.5% impurities. The alloy composition is adaptable to a wide range of manufacturing processes including additive manufacturing. The composition of the aluminum alloy also enables the dispersion of strengthening precipitate phases selected from an η-phase precipitate, a θ-phase precipitate, and a T-phase precipitate, while being free of a S-phase precipitate, when precipitation hardened.