Effect of Ultrafast Solidification on the Phase Composition and Elastic Modulus of 1441, V-1461, and V-1469 Alloys in the Al–Cu–Li System

Abstract—An original method of quantitative phase analysis was proposed. The method is based on the experimental determination of the lattice period of an α-solid solution, Vegard’s law, and the balance equations of the chemical and phase compositions. The method was shown to be efficient in assessing the effect of rapid solidification on the ratio of the contents of intermetallic phases in 1441, V-1461, and V-1469 alloys in the Al–Cu–Li system. It was demonstrated that the combined use of quantitative phase analysis and data on the elastic moduli of intermetallic compounds makes it possible to predict the elastic properties of Al–Cu–Li alloys. It was shown that the Young’s modulus is proportional to the amount of intermetallic compounds, which increases more than six times more intensely with increasing lithium content than with increasing copper content. The maximum increase in Young’s modulus as a result of heat treatment at a constant lithium content is 1–2 GPa, and the addition of 1 wt % Li increases Young’s modulus by ≈4 GPa.