Effect of Copper Content on Mechanical Properties and Fracture Behaviors of Al-Li-Cu Alloy 铜含量对铝锂铜合金力学性能和断裂行为的影响.pdf

Effect of Copper Content on Mechanical Properties and Fracture Behaviors of Al-Li-Cu Alloy QIANG LIU, CHANG-ZHENG CHEN, and JIAN-ZHONG CUI A series of Al-Li-Cu alloys with copper content of 0 to 6 wt pct and lithium content of 2.5 wt pct were studied. The results showed that copper plays an important role in grain refining, homogeniza- tion, and aging, and significantly influences the mechanical properties and fracture behaviors of the alloys. With the addition of copper, the hardness and peak-aging time increase, and the tensile strength gradually increases to a maximum value with copper content of about 3 wt pct and decreases after that. However, elongation decreases constantly, and the crack roots increase and lead to early crack. The mechanism of mechanical properties and fracture behaviors of Al-Li-Cu alloy is also discussed. I. INTRODUCTION was applied. Thin foil specimens for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis were prepared by mechanical IN the last decade, Al-Li alloys have drawn a great deal grinding and twin-jet electro-polishing in a solution of 1/3 of attention because of their attractive properties, i.e., high nitric acid and 2/3 methanol cooled to 30 °C at 20 V. Fol- stiffness, low density, etc., and their ability to offer weight lowing fracture testing, the specimens were broken open savings of up to 10 to 15 pct, which is of great value in trans- by tensile overload. The fracture surfaces were cleaned ultra- portation and aerospace applications.[1–5] Although a number sonically in ethyl alcohol, dried in an air stream, and exam- of studies have been devoted in recent years to different ined