Mechanical Characterization of Aluminum-Lithium Alloy 2050 for Space Structure Applications

Aluminum-Lithium (Al-Li) Alloy 2050, manufactured by Constellium, is a promising new material that could replace the legacy alloy, Al-Li 2195, for many space structure applications. The availability of 2050 in plate gauges up to 6 inches thick provides a distinct advantage over 2195, which is limited in thickness to 2 inches, thereby enabling the design of lighter weight structures. The current efforts have resulted in an initial microstructure/property characterization of 4 inch 2050 plate, which includes tension, compression, and fracture toughness testing at room and cryogenic temperatures, as well as metallurgical evaluation. The results show that alloy 2050 has promising mechanical properties for space structure applications, which warrants further development of this alloy.