| There have been extensive efforts in recent years to develop aluminum-lithium alloys because of their distinct advantages over traditional aluminum alloys. These alloys have excellent properties such as high strength, high young modulus, and low density, and hence are attractive for aerospace applications. The effect of hydrogen on Al-Li alloys has not been well understood.;The main objective of this research is to investigate the effect of hydrogen on the mechanical properties (yield strength, ultimate strength and fracture strain) of a 2090 aluminum-lithium alloy. In order to do this, the Al-Li alloy was submitted to different heat treatments, electrolytically charged with hydrogen for various times, tensile tested, metallographically and fractographically analyzed.;The hydrogen effect on the mechanical properties of 2090 Al-Li was most prominent for the solution-treated condition. The effect was not significant for the aged alloys. A mechanism is being proposed to explain this effect. |
