Grant: Alliance Grants

There has been a surprising increase in the demand for aluminum sheet primarily driven by the increased sensitivity to the negative environmental impact of plastic beverage containers, as well as the ever increasing demand to achieve substantive lightweighting of automobiles. Traditionally, aluminum sheets are made by casting molten aluminum into ~500 mm thick ingots through Direct Chill (DC) casting, and then scalping, homogenizing, hot rolling, and cold rolling to reach the final gauge thickness. Recently, a novel Thin Strip (TS) casting process has been developed by Hazelett CASTechnology ULC, which allows for direct casting of thin aluminum sheets of 2-5 mm thickness, thereby significantly reducing the energy requirement for processing to thin gauges, as well as offering a significant reduction in both capital and operational costs. However, the metallurgical properties of the TS sheets, their response to the subsequent cold-rolling/heat treatment processes and thus the final mechanical properties can be very different from the conventional norms. Therefore, product development using the TS route requires a comprehensive approach to process design/optimization of final mechanical properties). The proposed partnership therefore seeks the following: (1) The hardening/recovery kinetics to be analyzed, understood and properly formulated for optimal processing of select age-hardenable aluminum alloys with application in beverage can and automotive industries, e.g., 5000 and 6000 series alloys; (2) Then, a quantitative model to be developed for each alloy correlating the mechanical properties (e.g., the yield strength) to the casting/processing variables. The above knowledge will establish a processing-properties relationship using which the potential clients of CASTechnology can evaluate and approve various TS-made age-hardenable aluminum alloys for specific sheet applications. The advanced nature of the technical/scientific investigations and the high level of materials expertise/experience required to conduct this project ensures a cutting-edge and unique outcome, likely pave the way for profitable investments in Canada and create high-paying manufacturing jobs, all of which to also promote a greener economy.