Stress corrosion cracking of an Al-Li alloy

Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) has been studied in an Al-Li alloy with variables of orientation of specimen, heat treatment, and applied potentials. The distribution of the electrochemical potential resulting from precipitate clusters was measured, and the hydrogen content on the specimen surface was detected. The results showed that the SCC susceptibility under the peak- aged (PA) condition was higher than that under the natural (NA) and overaged (OA) conditions. The transverse (TL) specimen was more susceptible to SCC propagation than the longitudinal (LT) specimen. The SCC susceptibility and the hydrogen content on the specimen surface were dependent on the applied potentials. The hydrogen content increased when the applied potential changed to positive or negative directions. There was a critical hydrogen content, below which local anodic dissolution (LAD) plays an important role, above which hydrogen embrittlement (HE) plays an important role.