The College of Materials Science and Engineering announced a significant progress in Al-Cu-Li alloys research recently. Prof. Chen Jianghua’s team, including Prof. Wu Cuilan and doctoral student Duan Shiyun, published a research paper "Interfacial Structure Evolution of the Growing Composite Precipitates in Al-Cu-Li Alloys” on Vol. 129 of Acta Materialia Journal.

The researchers used atomic-resolution Scanning transmission electron microscopy and energy calculations to study composite phases for their interface structures and microstructure evolution in relation with the mechanical property of the alloys. It is found that all the composite phases have similar interface structure in terms of Cu-Li bonding: interfacial Li-atoms are required to occupy the second nearest neighbor sites to interfacial Cu-atoms.

This paper provided a thorough theoretical reference for the research and production of high-performance Al-Cu-Li alloys as an important aeronautical material.

For more information of the paper, please visit:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1359645417302057