Elevated temperature strength of aluminum based alloys by the addition of rare earth elements

Claim 1

A rapidly solidified aluminum based alloy consisting essentially of the formula Al bal Fe a M b Si c R d , wherein M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of V, Mo, Cr, Mn, Nb, Ta and W; R is Er; "a" ranges from 3.0 to 7.1 atom %, "b" ranges from 0.25 to 1.25 atom %, "c" ranges from 1.0 to 3.0 atom %, "d" ranges from 0.02 to 0.3 atom % and the balance is aluminum plus incidental impurities, with the provisos that (i) the ratio [Fe+M]:Si ranges from about 2.0:1 to 5.0:1 and (ii) the ratio Fe:M ranges from about 16:1 to 5:1, said alloy having an aluminum solid solution phase wherein each R group element is in solid solution and about 100 percent of dispersed intermetallic percipitates are of approximate composition Al 13 (Fe,M) 3 Si and are substantially uniformly distributed.

Claim 3

A method for making an aluminum based alloy, comprising the steps of: (a) forming a melt of said alloy in a protective environment, said alloy consisting essentially of the formula Al bal Fe a M b Si c R d , wherein M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of V, Mo, Cr, Mn, Nb, Ta and W; R is Er; "a" ranges from 3.0 to 7.1 atom %; "b" ranges from 0.25 to 1.25 atom %; "c" ranges from 1.0 to 3.0 atom %; "d" ranges from 0.02 to 0.3 atom % and the balance is aluminum plus incidental impurities, with the provisos that (i) the ratio [Fe+M]:Si ranges from about 2.0:1 to 5.0:1, and (ii) the ratio of Fe:M ranges from about 16:1 to 5:1; and (b) quenching said melt in said protective environment at a rate of at least about 10 5 °Cs -1 by directing said melt into contact with a rapidly moving quench surface to form thereby a rapidly solidified ribbon or sheet of said alloy having an aluminum solid solution phase wherein each R group element is in solid solution and about 100 percent of dispersed intermetallic precipitates are of approximate composition Al 13 (Fe,M) 3 Si and are substantially uniformly distributed.

Claim 4

A method for making an aluminum based alloy, comprising the steps of: (a) forming a melt of said alloy in a protective environment, said alloy consisting essentially of the formula Al bal Fe a M b Si c R d , wherein M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of V, Mo, Cr, Mn, Nb, Ta and W; R is Er; "a" ranges from 3.0 to 7.1 atom %; "b" ranges from 0.25 to 1.25 atom %; "c" ranges from 1.0 to 3.0 atom %; "d" ranges from 0.02 to 0.3 atom % and the balance is aluminum plus incidental impurities, with the provisos that (i) the ratio [Fe+M]:Si ranges from about 2.0:1 to 5.0:1, and (ii) the ratio of Fe:M ranges from about 16:1 to 5:1; and (b) quenching said melt in said protective environment at a rate of at least about 10 5 °Cs -1 by directing said melt into contact with a rapidly moving quench surface to form thereby a rapidly solidified ribbon or sheet of said alloy having an aluminum solid solution phase wherein each R group element is in solid solution and about 100 percent of dispersed intermetallic precipitates are of approximate composition Al 13 (Fe,M) 3 Si and are substantially uniformly distributed.

Claim 5

A method of forming a consolidated metal alloy article in which particles composed of an aluminum based alloy consisting essentially of the formula Al bal Fe a M b Si c R d , wherein M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of V, Mo, Cr, Mn, Nb, Ta and W; R is Er; "a" ranges from 3.0 to 7.1 atom %; "b" ranges from 0.25 to 1.25 atom %; "c" ranges from 1.0 to 3.0 atom %; "d" ranges from 0.02 to 0.03 atom % and the balance is aluminum plus incidental impurities, with the provisos that (i) the ratio [Fe+M]:Si ranges from about 2.0:1 to 5.0:1 and (ii) the ratio Fe:M ranges from about 16:1 to 5:1 are heated in a vacuum to a temperature ranging from about 300° C. to 500° C. and compacted, said alloy having an aluminum solid solution phase wherein each R group element is in solid solution and about 100 percent of dispersed intermetallic precipitates are of approximate composition Al 13 (Fe,M) 3 Si and are substantially uniformly distributed.

Claim 6

A method of forming a consolidated metal alloy article in which particles composed of an aluminum based alloy consisting essentially of the formula Al bal Fe a M b Si c R d , wherein M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of V, Mo, Cr, Mn, Nb, Ta and W; R is Er; "a" ranges from 3.0 to 7.1 atom %; "b" ranges from 0.25 to 1.25 atom %; "c" ranges from 1.0 to 3.0 atom %; "d" ranges from 0.02 to 0.03 atom % and the balance is aluminum plus incidental impurities, with the provisos that (i) the ratio [Fe+M]:Si ranges from about 2.0:1 to 5.0:1 and (ii) the ratio Fe:M ranges from about 16:1 to 5:1 are heated in a vacuum to a temperature ranging from about 300° C. to 500° C. and compacted, said alloy having an aluminum solid solution phase wherein each R group element is in solid solution and about 100 percent of dispersed intermetallic precipitates are of approximate composition Al 13 (Fe,M) 3 Si and are substantially uniformly distributed.

Claim 8

A method for forming a consolidated metal article comprising the steps of: (a) degassing particles composed of an aluminum based alloy consisting essentially of the formula Al bal Fe a M b Si c R d , wherein M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of V, Mo, Cr, Mn, Nb, Ta and W; R is Er; "a" ranges from 3.0 to 7.1 atom %; "b" ranges from 0.25 to 1.25 atom %; "c" ranges from 1.0 to 3.0 atom %; "d" ranges from 0.02 to 0.03 atom % and the balance is aluminum plus incidental impurities, with the provisos that (i) the ratio [Fe+M]:Si ranges from about 2.0:1 to 5.0:1 and (ii) that the ratio Fe:M ranges from about 16:1 to 5:1 by placing said particles in a container, heating said container and particles to a temperature ranging from about 300° C. to 500° C, evacuating said container and sealing said container under vacuum; and (b) consolidating said particles by heating said container and particles to a temperature ranging from 300° C. to 500° C. and compacting said container and particles into a billet, said alloy having an aluminum solid solution phase wherein each R group element is in solid solution and about 100 percent of dispersed intermetallic precipitates are of approximate composition Al 13 (Fe,M) 3 Si and are substantially uniformly distributed.

Claim 9

A method for forming a consolidated metal article comprising the steps of: (a) degassing particles composed of an aluminum based alloy consisting essentially of the formula Al bal Fe a M b Si c R d , wherein M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of V, Mo, Cr, Mn, Nb, Ta and W; R is Er; "a" ranges from 3.0 to 7.1 atom %; "b" ranges from 0.25 to 1.25 atom %; "c" ranges from 1.0 to 3.0 atom %; "d" ranges from 0.02 to 0.03 atom % and the balance is aluminum plus incidental impurities, with the provisos that (i) the ratio [Fe+M]:Si ranges from about 2.0:1 to 5.0:1 and (ii) that the ratio Fe:M ranges from about 16:1 to 5:1 by placing said particles in a container, heating said container and particles to a temperature ranging from about 300° C. to 500° C, evacuating said container and sealing said container under vacuum; and (b) consolidating said particles by heating said container and particles to a temperature ranging from 300° C. to 500° C. and compacting said container and particles into a billet, said alloy having an aluminum solid solution phase wherein each R group element is in solid solution and about 100 percent of dispersed intermetallic precipitates are of approximate composition Al 13 (Fe,M) 3 Si and are substantially uniformly distributed.