Popis: |
The emergence of Al–Li alloys as potential light metal, for safe use in a spectrum of aircraft structures and related aerospace applications has in recent years engendered an unprecedented widespread interest aimed at studying, understanding and improving their mechanical properties. In this chapter, we present and discuss some of the key aspects relevant to aluminum-lithium alloys, spanning the specific domain of precipitation kinetics as influenced by composition and heat treatment, intrinsic microstructural features and their effects, the fundamental mechanisms contributing to strength, ductility, fracture toughness, and overall anisotropy in mechanical properties of these alloys. The tensile behavior of representative first generation, second generation and third generation aluminum-lithium alloys is also presented and briefly discussed. Microstructural influences on mechanical properties are examined with specific reference to matrix microstructural features, dislocation-microstructural feature interaction, and matrix slip characteristics. |