TOPIC #

Write a report on Aluminum alloys used for

spacecraft shuttle and its properties.

Submitted to: Submitted

by:

Mr. Piyush Chandra Verma Shyam

Kuvar Yadav

Lecturer, Roll no-B35

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Lovely Professional University Sec-
B4911

Index
1. Declaration 03
2. Acknowledgment 04
3. Preface 05
4. Introduction 06
5. Wrought aluminium . 06

6. Cast aluminium 07

7. Superplastic aluminium
... 09
8. Aluminium alloys used for Spacecraft Shuttle ... 10
9. Properties of Aluminium Alloys .. 12
10. References ... 16

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 DECLARATION

I, Shyam Kuvar Yadav student of Lovely Professional University have

completed the term paper on:

Write a report on Aluminum alloys used for spacecraft

shuttle and its properties.

The information given in this term paper is true to the

best of my knowledge.

(SHYAM KUVAR YADAV)

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First of all I would like to thank the Lovely University and take the
opportunity to do this project as a part of the B.TECH(ME)

Many people have influenced the shape and content of this term
paper, and many supported me through it. I express my sincere gratitude
to Mr.Piyush Chandra Verma for assigning me a term paper on Material
Science, which is an interesting and exhaustive subject.

He has been an inspiration and role model for this topic. His guidance
and active support has made it possible to complete the assignment.

I also would like to thank my Friends who have helped and encouraged
me throughout the working of the term paper.

Last but not the least I would like to thank the Almighty for always
helping me.

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 Introduction:
Though light in weight, commercially pure aluminum has a tensile strength of about 13,000
psi. Cold working the metal approximately doubles its strength. In other attempts to increase
strength, aluminum is alloyed with elements such as manganese, silicon, copper, magnesium,
or zinc. The alloys can also be strengthened by cold working. Some alloys are further
strengthened and hardened by heat treatments. At subzero temperatures, aluminum is stronger
than at room temperature and is no less ductile. Most aluminum alloys lose strength at
elevated temperatures, although some retain significant strength to 500F. Besides a high
strength-to-weight ratio and good formability, aluminum also possesses its own anticorrosion
mechanism. When exposed to air, aluminum does not oxidize progressively because a hard,
microscopic oxide coating forms on the surface and seals the metal from the environment.
The tight chemical oxide bond is the reason that aluminum is not found in nature; it exists
only as a compound.

Aluminum and its alloys, numbering in the hundreds, are available in all common
commercial forms. Aluminum-alloy sheet can be formed, drawn, stamped, or spun. Many
wrought or cast aluminum alloys can be welded, brazed, or soldered, and aluminum surfaces
readily accept a wide variety of finishes, both mechanical and chemical. Because of their high
electrical conductivity, aluminum alloys are used as electrical conductors. Aluminum reflects
radiant energy throughout the entire spectrum, is nonsparking, and nonmagnetic.

Wrought aluminum:

A four-digit number that corresponds to a specific alloying element combination usually

designates wrought aluminum alloys. This number is followed by a temper designation that
identifies thermal and mechanical treatments.

To develop strength, heat-treatable wrought alloys are solution heat treated, then quenched
and precipitation hardened. Solution heat treatment consists of heating the metal, holding at
temperature to bring the hardening constituents into solution, then cooling to retain those
constituents in solution. Precipitation hardening after solution heat treatment increases
strength and hardness of these alloys.

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While some alloys age at room temperature, others require precipitation heat treatment at an
elevated temperature (artificial aging) for optimum properties. However, distortion and
dimensional changes during natural or artificial aging can be significant. In addition,
distortion and residual stresses can be introduced during quenching from the solution heat-
treatment cycle. These induced changes can be removed by deforming the metal (for
example, stretching).

Wrought aluminum alloys are also strengthened by cold working. The high-strength alloys --
either heat treatable or not -- work harden more rapidly than the lower-strength, softer alloys
and so may require annealing after cold working. Because hot forming does not always work
harden aluminum alloys, this method is used to avoid annealing and straightening operations;
however, hot forming fully heat-treated materials is difficult. Generally, aluminum
formability increases with temperature.

Recently developed aluminum alloys can provide nearly custom-engineered strength, fracture
toughness, fatigue resistance, and corrosion resistance for aircraft forgings and other critical
components. The rapid-solidification process is the basis for these new alloy systems, called
wrought P/M alloys. The term wrought P/M is used to distinguish this technology from
conventional press-and-sinter P/M technology. Grades 7090 and 7091 are the first
commercially available wrought P/M aluminum alloys. These alloys can be handled like
conventional aluminum alloys on existing aluminum-fabrication facilities.

Other significant new materials are the aluminum-lithium alloys. These lightweight metals
are as strong as alloys now in use and can be fabricated on existing metalworking equipment.
Although impressive structural weight reductions (from 7 to 10%) are possible through direct
substitution, even greater reduction (up to 15%) can be realized by developing fully
optimized alloys for new designs. Such alloys would be specifically tailored to provide
property combinations not presently available. Producing an alloy that will provide these
combinations is the object of second and third-generation low-density alloy development
efforts.

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 Cast aluminum:

Aluminum can be cast by all common casting processes. Aluminum casting alloys are
identified with a unified, four-digit (xxx.x) system. The first digit indicates the major alloying
element. For instance, 100 series is reserved for 99% pure aluminum with no major alloying
element used. The second and third digits in the 100 series indicate the precise minimum
aluminum content. For example, 165.0 has a 99.65% minimum aluminum content. The 200-
900 series designate various aluminum alloys, with the second two digits assigned to new
alloys as they are registered. The fourth digit indicates the product form. Castings are
designated 0; ingots are designed 1 or 2.

Letter prefixes before the numerical designation indicate special control of one or more
elements or a modification of the original alloy. Prefix X designates an experimental
composition. The material may retain the experimental designation up to five years. Limits
for the experimental alloy may be changed by the registrant.

Commercial casting alloys include heat-treatable and nonheat-treatable compositions. Alloys

that are heat treated carry the temper designations 0, T4, T5, T6, and T7. Die castings are not
usually solution heat treated because the temperature can cause blistering.

Permanent-mold casting technology involves several variations having to do with how the
metal gets into the mold cavity. Initially, molds were simply gravity filled from ladles, in the
same manner as sand molds. Subsequently, low pressure on the liquid-metal surface of a
crucible was used to force the metal up, through a vertical tube, into the mold cavity. This
refinement produces castings with higher mechanical properties and is more economical than
gravity filling because extensive gates and risers are unnecessary.

More recently, the process was modified to use a low level of vacuum drawn on the mold
cavity, causing atmospheric pressure to force the molten metal up into the mold. This process
variation, together with controlled and rapid solidification, increases properties further
because it produces castings that are almost entirely free of porosity.

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Although both variations improve properties and speed casting cycles, the added equipment
complexities limit the casting size that can be handled. Consequently, all three permanent-
mold processes are in use today, turning out aluminum castings weighing from less than one
pound to several hundred pounds.

Aluminum matrix composites: Metal matrix composites (MMCs) consist of metal alloys
reinforced with fibers, whiskers, particulates, or wires. Alloys of numerous metals
(aluminum, titanium, magnesium and copper) have been used as matrices to date.

Recent MMC developments, however, seem to thrust aluminum into the spotlight. In the
NASA space shuttle, for example, 240 struts are made from aluminum reinforced with boron
fibers. Also, aluminum diesel-engine pistons that have been locally reinforced with ceramic
fibers are eliminating the need for wear-resistant nickel-cast iron inserts in the automotive
environment.

Fabrication methods differ for both products. Monolayer tapes in the space shuttle struts are
wrapped around a mandrel and hot isostatically pressed to diffusion bond the layers. For the
pistons, a squeeze-casting process infiltrates liquid metal into a fiber preform under pressure.
Other fabrication methods for MMCs include: hot pressing a layer of parallel fibers between
foils to create a monolayer tape; creep and superplastic forming in a die; and spraying metal
plasmas on collimated fibers followed by hot pressing.

Superplastic aluminum:

Superplastic forming of metal, a process similar to vacuum forming of plastic sheet, has been
used to form low-strength aluminum into nonstructural parts such as cash-register housings,
luggage compartments for passenger trains, and nonload-bearing aircraft components. New in
this area of technology is a superplastic-formable high-strength aluminum alloy, now
available for structural applications and designated 7475-02. Strength of alloy 7475 is in the
range of aerospace alloy 7075, which requires conventional forming operations. Although
initial cost of 7475 is higher, finished part cost is usually lower than that of 7075 because of
the savings involved in the simplified design/assembly.

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 Aluminium alloys used for Spacecraft Shuttle:

is a reusable launch system and orbital spacecraft operated by the U.S. National Aeronautics
and Space Administration (NASA) for human spaceflight missions. The system combines
rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons. The first of
four orbital test flights occurred in 1981 leading to operational flights beginning in 1982, all
launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The system is scheduled to be retired from
service in 2011 after 135 launches.Major missions have included launching numerous
satellites and interplanetary probes, conducting space science experiments, and servicing and
construction of space stations. Five space-worthy orbiters were builttwo have been
destroyed and one has been retired, leaving two currently in service.

It has been used for orbital space missions by NASA, the U.S. Department of Defense, the
European Space Agency, Japan, and Germany.[3][4] The United States funded STS
development and shuttle operations except for Spacelab D1 and D2 sponsored by West
Germany and reunified Germany respectively.In addition, SL-J was partially funded by
Japan.

At launch, the Space Shuttle consists of the shuttle stack, which includes a dark orange-
colored external tank (ET), two white, slender Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs); and the Orbiter
Vehicle (OV), which contains the crew and payload. Payloads can be launched into higher
orbits with either of two different booster stages developed for the STS (single-stage Payload
Assist Module or two-stage Inertial Upper Stage). The Space Shuttle is stacked in the Vehicle
Assembly Building and the stack mounted on a mobile launch platform held down by four
explosive bolts on each SRB which are detonated at launch.

The shuttle stack launches vertically like a conventional rocket. It lifts off under the power of
its two SRBs and three main engines, which are fueled by liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen

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from the external tank. The Space Shuttle has a two-stage ascent. The SRBs provide
additional thrust during liftoff and first-stage flight. About two minutes after liftoff, explosive
bolts are fired, releasing the SRBs, which then parachute into the ocean, to be retrieved by
ships for refurbishment and reuse. The shuttle orbiter and external tank continue to ascend on
an increasingly horizontal flight path under power from its main engines. Upon reaching
17,500 mph (7.8 km/s), necessary for low Earth orbit, the main engines are shut down. The
external tank is then jettisoned to burn up in the atmosphere. It is, however, possible for the
external tank to be re-used in orbit.[12] After jettisoning the external tank, the orbital
maneuvering system (OMS) engines may be used to adjust the orbit.

The orbiter carries astronauts and payload such as satellites or space station parts into low
earth orbit, into the Earth's upper atmosphere or thermosphere. Usually, five to seven crew
members ride in the orbiter. Two crew members, the commander and pilot, are sufficient for a
minimal flight, as in the first four "test" flights, STS-1 through STS-4. A typical payload
capacity is about 22,700 kilograms (50,000 lb), but can be raised depending on the choice of
launch configuration. The orbiter carries the payload in a large cargo bay with doors that open
along the length of its top, a feature which makes the Space Shuttle unique among present
spacecraft. This feature made possible the deployment of large satellites such as the Hubble
Space Telescope, and also the capture and return of large payloads back to Earth.

When the orbiter's space mission is complete, it fires its OMS thrusters to drop out of orbit
and re-enter the lower atmosphere. During descent, the orbiter passes through different layers
of the atmosphere and decelerates from hypersonic speed primarily by aerobraking. In the
lower atmosphere and landing phase, it is more like a glider but with reaction control system
(RCS) thrusters and fly-by wire-controlled hydraulically-actuated flight surfaces controlling
its descent. It then makes a landing on a long runway as a spaceplane. The aerodynamic
shape is a compromise between the demands of radically different speeds and air pressures
during re-entry, hypersonic flight, and subsonic atmospheric flight. As a result, the orbiter has
a relatively high sink rate at low altitudes, and it transitions during re-entry from using RCS
thrusters at very high altitudes to flight surfaces in the lower atmosphere.

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 Properties of Aluminium Alloys:

A unique combination of properties makes aluminum one of our most versatile engineering
and construction materials. A mere recital of its characteristics is impressive. It is light in
mass, yet some of its alloys have strengths greater than that of structural steel.

It has high resistance to corrosion under the majority of service conditions, and no colored
salts are formed to stain adjacent surfaces or discolor products with which it comes into
contact, such as fabrics in the textile industry and solutions in chemical equipment. It has no
toxic reaction. It has good electrical and thermal conductivities and high reflectivity to both
heat and light. The metal can easily be worked into any form and readily accepts a wide
variety of surface finishes.

The mass of aluminum is roughly 35 percent that of iron and 30 percent that of copper.
Commercially pure aluminum has a tensile strength of about 90 MPa. Thus its usefulness as
a structural material in this form is somewhat limited. By working the metal, as by cold
rolling, its strength can be approximately doubled. Much larger increases in strength can be
obtained by alloying aluminum with small percentages of one or more other elements such
as manganese, silicon, copper, magnesium or zinc.

Like pure aluminum, the alloys are also made stronger by cold working. Some of the alloys
are further strengthened and hardened by heat treatments so that today aluminum alloys
having tensile strengths approaching 700 MPa are available.

A wide variety of mechanical characteristics, or tempers, are available in aluminum alloys

through various combinations of cold work and heat treatment. In specifying the temper for
any given product, the fabricating process and the amount of cold work to which it will
subject the metal should be kept in mind.

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Aluminum and its alloys lose part of their strength at elevated temperatures, although some
alloys retain good strength at temperatures from 200 to 260C. At subzero temperatures,
however, their strength increases without loss of ductility, so aluminum is a particularly
useful metal for low-temperature applications.

When aluminum surfaces are exposed to the atmosphere, a thin invisible oxide skin forms
immediately, which protects the metal from further oxidation. This self-protecting
characteristic gives aluminum its high resistance to corrosion. Unless exposed to some
substance or condition that destroys this protective oxide coating, the metal remains fully
protected against corrosion. Aluminum is highly resistant to weathering, even in industrial
atmospheres that often corrode other metals. It is also corrosion resistant to many acids.
Alkalis are among the few sub stances that attack the oxide skin and therefore are corrosive
to aluminum.

Some alloys are less resistant to corrosion than others, particularly certain high-strength
alloys. Such alloys in some forms can be effectively protected from the majority of corrosive
influences, however, by cladding the exposed surface or surfaces with a thin layer of either
pure aluminum or one of the more highly corrosion-resistant alloys.

A word of caution should be mentioned in connection with the corrosion-resistant

characteristics of aluminum. Direct contacts with certain other metals should be avoided in
the presence of an electrolyte; otherwise galvanic corrosion of the aluminum may take place
in the vicinity of the contact area. Where other metals must be fastened to aluminum, the use
of a bituminous paint coating or insulating tape is recommended.

The fact that aluminum is nontoxic was discovered in the early days of the industry. It is this
characteristic that permits the metal to be used in cooking utensils without any harmful effect
on the body, and today we find also a great deal of aluminum equipment in use by food
processing industries. The same characteristic permits aluminum foil wrapping to be used
safely in direct contact with food products.

Aluminum is one of the two common metals having an electrical conductivity high enough
for use as an electric conductor. The conductivity of electric conductor grade (EN AW1350
EN 573-3) is about 62 ICAS.

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The high thermal conductivity of aluminum came prominently into play in the very first
large-scale commercial application of the metal in cooking utensils. This characteristic is
important wherever the transfer of thermal energy from one medium to another is involved,
either heating or cooling. Thus aluminum heat exchangers are commonly used in the food,
chemical, petroleum, aircraft and other industries. Aluminum is also an excellent reflector of
radiant energy through the entire range of wavelengths, from ultraviolet, through the visible
spectrum to infrared and heat waves, as well as electromagnetic waves of radio and radar.

Aluminum has a light reflectivity of over 80 percent, which has led to its wide use in lighting
fixtures. Aluminum roofing reflects a high percentage of the suns heat, so that buildings
roofed with this material are cooler in summer.

The ease with which aluminum may be fabricated into any form is one of its most important
assets. Often it can compete successfully with cheaper materials having a lower degree of
workability. The metal can be cast by any method known to foundry men; it can be rolled to
any desired thickness down to foil thinner than paper; aluminum sheet can be stamped,
drawn, spun or roll-formed. The metal also may be hammered or forged. Aluminum wire,
drawn from rolled rod, may be stranded into cable of any desired size and type. There is
almost no limit to the different profiles in which the metal may be extruded.

The ease and speed with which aluminum may be machined is one of the important factors
contributing to the low cost of finished aluminum parts. The metal may be turned, milled,
bored, or machined in other manners at the maximum speeds of which the majority of
machines are capable. Another advantage of its flexible machining characteristics is that
aluminum rod and bar may readily be employed in the high speed manufacture of parts by
automatic screw machines.

Almost any method of joining is applicable to aluminum: riveting, welding, brazing or

soldering. A wide variety of mechanical aluminum fasteners simplifies the assembly of many
products. Adhesive bonding of aluminum parts is widely employed, particularly in joining
aircraft components.

For the majority of applications, aluminum needs no protective coating. Mechanical finishes
such as polishing, sand blasting or wire brushing meet the majority of needs. In many

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instances, the surface finish supplied is entirely adequate without further finishing. Where
the plain aluminum surface does not suffice, or where additional protection is required, any
of a wide variety of surface finishes may be applied. Chemical, electrochemical and paint
finishes are all used. Many colors are available in both chemical and electrochemical
finishes. If paint, lacquer or enamel is used, any color possible with these finishes may be
applied. Vitreous enamels have been developed for aluminum, and the metal may also be
electroplated.

Aluminum sheet, because of its superior corrosion resistance and smooth continuous surface,
is an excellent base for the high quality paints used in producing painted sheet. The chemical
pretreatment plus the application of high quality thermally cured paint assures a finish that
will exhibit no cracking, blistering, or peeling.

Attractive appearance together with high resistance to weathering and low maintenance
requirements have led to extensive use in buildings of all types. High reflectivity, excellent
weathering characteristics, and light weight are all important in roofing materials. Light
weight contributes to low handling and shipping costs, whatever the application.

Many applications require the extreme versatility that only aluminum has. Almost daily its
unique combination of properties is being put to work in new ways.

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 References
http://www.mmat.ubc.ca/courses/mmat380/lectures/2004/Lecture%2016-
Aluminum(Complete).pdf
http://www.eaa.net/education/TALAT/lectures/1255.pdf
http://www.ccm.udel.edu/Personnel/homepage/class_web/ Lecture
%20Notes/2004/AskelandPhuleNotes-CH13Printable.ppt
http://www.aluminum.org/
http://www.aluminium.org/
http://www.eaa.net/education/TALAT/lectures/1255.pdf
http://www.cmse.ed.ac.uk/MSE3/Topics/MSE3-nonferrous.pdf
http://www.eaa.net/education/TALAT/lectures/1205.pdf

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