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Environmental fatigue of an Al-Li-Cu alloy: part I. Intrinsic crack propagation kinetics in hydrogenous environments

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Abstract

Deleterious environmental effects on steady-state, intrinsic fatigue crack propagation (FCP) rates(da/dN) in peak-aged Al-Li-Cu alloy 2090 are established by electrical potential monitoring of short cracks with programmed constant ΔK andK maxI loading. Such rates are equally unaffected by vacuum, purified helium, and oxygen but are accelerated in order of decreasing effectiveness by aqueous 1 pct NaCl with anodic polarization, pure water’ vapor, moist air, and NaCl with cathodic polarization. Whileda/dN depend on ΔK4.0 for the inert gases, water vapor and chloride induce multiple power laws and a transition growth rate “plateau.” Environmental effects are strongest at low ΔK. Crack tip damage is ascribed to hydrogen embrittlement because of acceleratedda/dN due to parts-per-million (ppm) levels of H2O without condensation, impeded molecular flow model predictions of the measured water vapor pressure dependence ofda/dN as affected by mean crack opening, the lack of an effect of film-forming O2, the likelihood for crack tip hydrogen production in NaCl, and the environmental and ΔK-process zone volume dependencies of the microscopic cracking modes. For NaCl, growth rates decrease with decreasing loading frequency, with the addition of passivating Li2CO3 and upon cathodic polarization. These variables increase crack surface film stability to reduce hydrogen entry efficiency. Small crack effects are not observed for 2090; such cracks do not grow at abnormally high rates in single grains or in NaCl and are not arrested at grain boundaries. The hydrogen environmental FCP resistance of 2090 is similar to other 2000 series alloys and is better than 7075.

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  1. Mechanics of Materials Branch, NASA-Langley Research Center, 23665, Hampton, VA

    Robert S. Piascik (Scientist)

  2. Department of Materials Science, University of Virginia, 22903, Charlottes ville, VA

    Richard P. Gangloff (Professor)

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ROBERT S. PIASCIK formerly Graduate Student, Department of Materials Science, University of Virginia.

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Piascik, R.S., Gangloff, R.P. Environmental fatigue of an Al-Li-Cu alloy: part I. Intrinsic crack propagation kinetics in hydrogenous environments. Metall Trans A 22, 2415–2428 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02665008

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