Effects of cooling rates on precipitates in homogenized Al–Cu–Li alloy.

[Display omitted] • The microstructures of homogenized alloy are greatly affected by the cooling rates. • The air-cooled sample is dominated by T phase and δ′/β′ phase. • In the furnace cooling, numerous large size T 1 phases and some θ′ liked phases are precipitated. The microstructure of homogenized Al–Cu–Li alloy is greatly affected by cooling rates. The air-cooled sample is dominated by high temperature precipitated T (Al 20 Cu 2 Mn 3) phase and β′ (Al 3 Zr) phase, accompanied by naturally aged δ′ (Al 3 Li) phase. But for the furnace cooled sample, except for the T phase and δ′/β′ phase, the predominant phases are numerous micrometer-scale T 1 (Al 2 CuLi) phase and some of θ′ (Al 2 Cu) liked phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]