Auger electron spectroscopy analysis of grain boundary microchemistry in an Al–Cu–Li alloy. (1st July 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ott, Noémie; Yan, Yuanming; Ramamurthy, Sridhar; Kairy, Shravan; Birbilis, Nick
• Is Part Of: Scripta materialia. Volume 119(2016)
• Page Start: 17
• Page End: 20
• Publication Date: 2016-07-01
• Subjects: Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) -- Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) -- Aluminium alloys -- Al–Cu–Li alloys -- Grain boundary segregation; Materials -- Periodicals; Metallurgy -- Periodicals; Metalen; Legeringen; Materiaalkunde; Metals, metalworking and machinery industries; Metals; Electronic journals; 620.11
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2016.03.021
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1359-6462

Abstract

Abstract: In situ impact fracture combined with Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) was employed to determine grain boundary (GB) microchemistry, namely lithium (Li) concentration, for an Al–Cu–Li alloy. The Li/Al ratio of GBs in the naturally aged condition was revealed to be significantly higher than in the overaged condition (or in the bulk alloy). GB fracture surfaces for the naturally aged alloy were depleted in Cu, whereas in the overaged condition the GB fracture surfaces were depleted in Li and enriched in Cu relative to the bulk composition. These findings are discussed in the context of intergranular corrosion and the precipitation sequence in Al–Cu–Li alloys. Graphical abstract: