Intergranular Corrosion and Exfoliation Corrosion Behaviours of Al-Li Alloys

The intergranular corrosion (IGC) and exfoliation corrosion (EC) behaviors of five Al-Li alloys were investigated using standard experimental methods, and compared with conventional aluminium alloy 7075. The results showed that the Al-Li alloys were better than 7075 alloy in corrosion resistance; that the corrosion resistance for 8090 alloy was better than that for 2090 and 2091 alloys. The effects of metallurgical factors and heat treatment on corrosion susceptibility are also discussed. It has been found that the IGC and EC susceptibility of Al-Li alloys dramatically depend on the composition, heat treatment and grain orientation of alloys.