The Challenge of Impurities (Fe, Si) to Recycling in the Rolled Aluminum Industry in the Coming Years in Relation to Their Influence on Ultimate Tensile Strength

Abstract

The increased recycling in aluminum production has raised the impurity content in the industry, thus increasing its effect on mechanical characteristics and making it difficult for recycled products to meet the properties’ goals as their effect is not yet sufficiently known. Therefore, the two main impurities (Fe and Si) in standard aluminum rolling mill products of alloy 5754 were investigated to determine their effects on the ultimate tensile strength (UTS). After analyzing the composition, mechanical properties, and microstructure, the relationship of both impurities with the UTS in fully annealed products was estimated by statistical analysis, obtaining a strong influence of Si and Fe.