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Title: Characterization of phase equilibria and oxidation behavior of aluminum-lithium alloys by electron, ion, and neutron beams

Miscellaneous ·
OSTI ID:5478376

Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and neutron-depth profiling (NDP) were used, in a complementary way, for the characterization of the Li distribution in Al-Li alloys in order to study their phase equilibria and oxidation behavior. SIMS compositional imaging of alloys containing T{sub 1} (Al{sub 2}LiCu), T{sub 2} (Al{sub 6}Li{sub 3}Cu), and T{sub B} (Al{sub 7.5}Cu{sub 4}Li) showed a lack of equilibrium between these phases and a non-uniform Cu distribution. Observation regarding some trace-element distributions were also made. The second-phase particles were identified by electron diffraction and x-ray microanalysis as Al{sub 3}Fe and these particles contained no Li. Oxidation of binary Al-Li alloys at high temperature produced a characteristic nodular oxide morphology. Examination of the oxide/alloy interface indicated preferential nucleation of the oxide at the grain boundaries followed by initial lateral growth. The oxide layer also exhibited surface facets due to surface reconstruction during the reaction. Oxidation of Al-Li-Mg alloys led to depletion of both Li and Mg to nearly equal extent. From these depletion profiles, the interdiffusion coefficients for the Al-Li-Mg-(Cu) alloys were calculated.

Research Organization:
Lehigh Univ., Bethlehem, PA (United States)
OSTI ID:
5478376
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Thesis (Ph.D.)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English