The development of recycle-friendly automotive aluminum alloys

The continuing growth of aluminum alloy usage in transportation applications, notably passenger automobiles and minivans, and the demonstrated economic benefits of recycling aluminum-rich vehicles increase the need to seriously consider the desirability of designing recycling-friendly alloys. This article focuses on that aspect of the recycling process for passenger vehicles. The goals are to illustrate the opportunities afforded by identifying and taking full advantage of potential metal streams in guiding the development of new alloys that use those streams. In speculating on several possible aluminum recovery practices and systetms that might be used in recycling passenger vehicles, likely compositions are identified and preliminary assessments of their usefulness for direct recycling are made. Specific compositions for possible new recycle-friendly alloys are suggested. In addition, recommendations on how the aluminum enterprise, including industry, academia, and government, can work together to achieve the aggressive but important goals described here are discussed.