Computational Design of High-Strength Anodize-Free SCC-Resistance Aluminum Alloys for Aerospace Applications

QuesTek Innovations has applied its Materials by Design^® approach to design and develop a new high strength, corrosion-resistant aluminum alloy. The development of this alloy has been sponsored by a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program funded by the Office of the Secretary of Defense and administered through NAVAIR Patuxent River, MD.

The design of this advanced Al-alloy was based on Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) methodologies which utilize QuesTek’s proprietary thermodynamic and kinetics databases. QuesTek applied the Materials by Design stage-gate approach to set performance goals (e.g., SCC-resistance, anodization-free, etc.), target related properties (e.g., strength, ductility, etc.), and establish key processing parameters (e.g., homogenization, quench sensitivity, etc.).

This new advanced alloy offers mechanical properties equivalent to non-anodized 7075-T7451 and has intrinsic corrosion resistance similar to anodized 7xxx alloys (i.e., same or better performance over legacy alloys without the need of an anodizing coating). Results will be presented from a commercial-scale heat extruded into multiple product sizes (e.g., tensile, G47, SCC, B117, KIC, etc.) along with recent alloy characterization data generated over the past year. Commercialization activities are ongoing, focused on completing successful prototype testing and evaluations in several applications (e.g., airframe structural components, etc)