Ykk Corporation

The University of Toyama

Koichi Mikado

Yasuharu Yoshimura

Tetsuya Katsumi

Takahiro Fukuyama

Tatewaki Ido

Atsushi Ogihara

Futoshi Kozato

Yusuke Meiwa

Takuya Koizumi

Masataka Kawazoe

Hironobu Wakasa

Kenji Matsuda

Provided is an aluminum alloy element for a slide fastener, which has improved strength and abrasion resistance. The element for the slide fastener includes a base material of an aluminum alloy having a composition represented by a general formula: AlSiCuMgTiBin which a, b, c, d, e and f each represents % by mass; a is a balance; 0.2&#x2264;b&#x2264;0.8, 0.8&#x2264;c&#x2264;1.8, 0.8&#x2264;d&#x2264;1.8, 0&#x3c;e&#x2264;0.05, and 0&#x3c;f&#x2264;0.01; and unavoidable impurity elements may be contained; the aluminum alloy comprising, dispersed therein, precipitates containing at least one element selected from a group consisting of Al, Si, Cu and Mg, the element for the slide fastener comprising a pair of leg portions and a head portion that connects the pair or leg portions and comprises a convex portion and a concave portion for engagement.

Element for slide fastener

Elements for a slide fastener are provided, which have high strength and improved abrasion resistance. More particularly, an element for a slide fastener includes as a base material, an aluminum alloy having a composition represented by a general formula: AlSiCuMgin which a, b, c and d are expressed in percentage by mass, a denotes a balance, 0.4&#x2264;b&#x2264;0.9, 0.15&#x2264;c&#x2264;0.8, 0.8&#x2264;d&#x2264;2.0, and unavoidable impurity elements may be contained; and the aluminum alloy containing a precipitate containing Mg and Si.

A copper-zinc alloy product of the invention contains zinc in an amount of higher than 35% by weight and 43% by weight or less and has a two-phase structure of an &#x3b1;-phase and a &#x3b2;-phase. Further, the ratio of the &#x3b2;-phase in the copper-zinc alloy is controlled to be higher than 10% and less than 40% and the crystal grains of the &#x3b1;-phase and the &#x3b2;-phase are crushed into a flat shape and arranged in a layer shape through cold working. According to the copper-zinc alloy product, it is possible to decrease the copper content and to appropriately secure the strength and cold workability by appropriately controlling the ratio of the &#x3b2;-phase.

Copper-zinc alloy product and process for producing copper-zinc alloy product

An aluminum alloy with excellent decorativeness, having a composition represented by the general formula AlMgMnCr, wherein b, c, and d are, in mass percentage, 3.0&#x2266;b&#x2266;5.6, 0.05&#x2266;c&#x2266;1.0, 0.05&#x2266;d&#x2266;0.7, c+d&#x3e;0.2, and a is the balance with unavoidable impurity elements possibly being contained, wherein a matrix of the aluminum alloy is a structure substantially composed of an aluminum solid solution, in which no &#x3b2;-phase is present. This alloy has excellent decorativeness and decorativeness as well as superior strength, hardness and other such mechanical properties and is useful as materials for slide fastener constituent members, such as their elements, stops, and sliders, and/or in snap buttons, ordinary buttons, and clasps.

Aluminum alloy with excellent decorativeness

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Toyama, Japan

Koichi Mikado