Catenaa, Monday, December 15, 2025- Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed RidgeAlloy, a new aluminum alloy that transforms low-grade automotive scrap into strong, durable structural components.

The breakthrough offers a pathway to a domestic supply chain for recycled aluminum and reduces reliance on imported primary aluminum.

RidgeAlloy is produced by melting post-consumer aluminum auto body scrap and recasting it into a formulation that meets industry standards for strength, ductility, and crash performance.

The team used computational modeling, materials characterization, and neutron diffraction at ORNL’s Spallation Neutron Source to optimize alloy composition and overcome contamination from iron and other impurities common in recycled scrap.

The new alloy was tested in real-world conditions, producing medium-sized automotive parts through high-pressure die-casting.

RidgeAlloy, composed of aluminum, magnesium, silicon, iron, and manganese, demonstrated the strength, corrosion resistance, and ductility required for structural castings such as vehicle underbodies and frame components.

Experts noted that remelting scrap instead of using primary aluminum could reduce energy use by up to 95 percent.

With large volumes of aluminum vehicles reaching end-of-life in the U.S. by the early 2030s, RidgeAlloy could capture a significant portion of this material, transforming low-value scrap into high-performance manufacturing inputs.

The development process took 15 months from concept to full-scale part demonstration, leveraging ORNL’s advanced tools and expertise in aluminum alloys.

Beyond automotive applications, RidgeAlloy has potential uses in aerospace, industrial machinery, agricultural equipment, off-road vehicles, and marine craft.

The project was funded by the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Vehicle Technologies Office Lightweight Metals Core Program.