Upcycled high-strength aluminum alloys from scrap through solid-phase alloying.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 39658551.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-024-53062-2 and PMC identifier 11631979.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Although recycling secondary aluminum can lead to energy consumption reduction compared to primary aluminum manufacturing, products produced by traditional melt-based recycling processes are inherently limited in terms of alloy composition and microstructure, and thus final properties. To overcome the constraints associated with melting, we have developed a solid-phase recycling and simultaneous alloying method. This innovative process enables the alloying of 6063 aluminum scrap with copper, zinc, and magnesium to form a nanocluster-strengthened high-performance aluminum alloy with a composition and properties akin to 7075 aluminum alloy. The unique nanostructure with a high density of Guinier-Preston zones and uniformly precipitated nanoscale η'/Mg(CuZn)<sub>2</sub> strengthening phases enhances both yield and ultimate tensile strength by >200%. By delivering high-performance products from scrap that are not just recycled but upcycled, this scalable manufacturing approach provides a model for metal reuse, with the option for on-demand upcycling of a variety of metallic materials from scrap sources.