Role of alloying and heat treatment on microstructure and mechanical properties of cast Al-Li alloys: A review

Due to the prominent advantages of low density, high elastic modulus, high specific strength and specific stiffness, cast Al-Li alloys are suitable metallic materials for manufacturing complex large-sized components and are ideal structural materials for aerospace, defense and military industries. On the basis of the microstructural characteristics of cast Al-Li alloys, exploring the role of alloying and micro-alloying can stabilize their dominant position and further expand their application scope. In this review, the development progress of cast Al-Li alloys was summarized comprehensively. According to the latest research highlights, the influence of alloying and heat treatment on the microstructure and mechanical properties was systematically analyzed. The potential methods to improve the alloy performance were concluded. In response to the practical engineering requirements of cast Al-Li alloys, the scientific challenges and future research directions were discussed and prospected.