Aluminum-lithium alloys and method of making same

摘要

Disclosed is a method of producing an unrecrystallized wrought aluminum-lithium product having improved levels of strength and fracture toughness. The method comprises the steps of providing a body of a lithium containing aluminum base alloy; heating the body to a hot working temperature and hot working the body to a first product. The product is cold worked to a second wrought product and then reheated while avoiding substantial recrystallization thereof, the reheating adapted to relieve stored energy capable of causing recrystallization during a subsequent heat treating step. The product is then solution heat treated, quenched and aged to provide a substantially unrecrystallized product having improved levels of strength and fracture toughness.