Characterization of retrogression and reaging behavior of 8090 Al-Li-Cu-Mg-Zr alloy

Abstract

An 8090 Al-Li-Cu-Mg-Zr alloy in the peak-aged (T8) temper was subjected to retrogression treatment at temperatures above and below the δ′ (Al3Li) solvus line and immediately reaged to various tempers. Retrogression and reaging (RRA) behavior is characterized by hardness testing, tensile testing, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and electrochemical polarization studies. Retrogression of the T8 temper alloy causes dissolution primarily of δ′ (Al3Li) precipitates into solid solution that results in a decrease of hardness and tensile strength and an increase of ductility of the alloy. Reaging of the retrogressed state causes reprecipitation of the δ′ precipitates in the matrix resulting in the restoration of strength and ductility properties. Retrogression and reaging to the peak-aged temper, designated at T77 temper, has been found to retain the strength of the conventional T8 temper, but with the gross aging time in the RRA temper almost twice that of the conventional T8 temper, the microstructure of the RRA temper approaches that of the overaged (T7) temper. Thus, RRA treatment contributes to an improvement of stress corrosion cracking (SCC) resistance over the conventional T8 temper while retaining the mechanical properties of T8 temper.