Relationship between ageing and deformation characteristics, and microdefects in aluminium-lithium alloys: an X-ray double crystal diffractometry study

A non-destructive X-ray technique, the double crystal diffractometer method, is presented as a tool to investigate the ageing and deformation characteristics of aluminium-lithium alloys. This method is extremely sensitive and can be used to measure strains and dislocation densities through the rocking curve half-width. X-ray data were used to correlate the different stages of the microstructure during ageing and deformation. Models were also developed to describe the microstructural behaviour of these alloys.