[AR] Re: New Al Alloy

  • From: Keith Henson <hkeithhenson@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: arocket@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Wed, 30 Oct 2013 12:31:14 -0800

"if I didn't have to start w/ an ingot."

All you need is an extrusion plant.  :-)

On Wed, Oct 30, 2013 at 12:04 PM, Bill Claybaugh <wclaybaugh2@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> If one wants to replace 6061, look to 2095, 2199 and the like.  If it were
> available as tube, Al-Li could replace my existing 6061-T6 solid rocket tube
> with 1/2 the wall thickness and accordingly 1/2 the weight...and a little
> more propellant as a bonus.  Even at current prices, I would make that trade
> if I didn't have to start w/ an ingot.
>
> Bill
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Oct 30, 2013, at 15:34, Nathan Mogk <nm8911@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> What interested me is not the slightly higher strength, but the fact that it
> was higher strength on an alloy that is specifically intended to replace
> 6061. Whether that translates to rockets/tanks is yet to be seen on specific
> properties. The release did mention wear resistance as a driving
> requirement.
>
>
> On Wed, Oct 30, 2013 at 12:10 PM, Jonathan Goff <jongoff@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>
>> Nathan,
>>
>> There are already several alloys with more than 16.5% higher strength than
>> 6061-T6. The questions for rocket stuff is thermal conductivity, solidus,
>> high temperature strength, etc. Not just raw room-temperature strength. For
>> instance 7068-T6 has a yield strength of almost 100ksi (vs ~40ksi for 6061),
>> and has 190ish W/m*K thermal conductivity (compared to like 160ish W/m*K).
>> But it's solidus is only something like 485C (compared to 560ish C for
>> 6061), which means its high temperature strength/creep characteristics are
>> probably quite a bit worse than 6061.
>>
>> If this is a 6xxx series alloy with good thermal conductivity, and similar
>> solidus to 6061, it might be a good replacement. Ultimately, it would be
>> interesting to see someone do a detailed thermal analysis of a rocket engine
>> using some of the various potential aluminum alloys to see which combination
>> of factors really matters most. I have some hunches, but not being actively
>> in the rocket world anymore I don't really have the time to investigate.
>>
>> Would be really interested if someone wanted to do some sort of simplified
>> analysis though and publish it on aRocket though!
>>
>> ~Jon
>>
>>
>> On Wed, Oct 30, 2013 at 1:03 PM, Nathan Mogk <nm8911@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>
>>> Apparently Alcoa recently unveiled a new alloy for use in truck wheels
>>> that is 16.5% stronger than 6061. This may be an interesting alloy for
>>> rockets when they let it into the market. There wasn't any real detail in
>>> the press release that I saw, and they didn't mention (and I didn't look up)
>>> what heat treatment of 6061 they are comparing with.
>>>
>>> Here is the press release
>>>
>>> http://www.asminternational.org/portal/site/www/NewsItem/?vgnextoid=3a23ccc1c26e1410VgnVCM100000621e010aRCRD
>>>
>>>
>>
>

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