Variation of mechanical properties and microstructure of hot-rolled AA2099 Al-Li alloy induced by the precipitation during preheating process

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• Precipitation during preheating causes a great variation of mechanical property. • δ’ phase precipitated by rapid heating causes a strong hardening behavior. • T1 phases hinder planar slip causes by δ’ phase to form a uniform microstructure. • Stage heating gave rise to a high strength of rolled sheets with moderate ductility. Preheating is the first step for thermal-mechanical processing of the materials. Several preheating schedules were designed based on industrial manufacturing to explore their effect on the microstructure and mechanical properties of AA2099 Al-Li alloy during the following hot rolling. The results show that the mechanical properties of as-rolled sheets are quite sensitive to preheating. Various types of secondary phases, including δ’, T1 and T2 phases, were precipitated during the heating process. The difference among precipitates is the main reason to induce the variation of mechanical properties for as-rolled sheets. A rapid heating rate gave rise to the precipitation of δ’ phase, which largely promoted yield stress and ultimate tensile strength in as-rolled sheets. T1 phase was more favorable in the preheating with a holding period at 150–250 °C, which caused a moderated strain hardening behavior. Precipitates formed during preheating induced different slip behaviors in the following deformation. The coexistence of T1 and δ’ phase could restrict planar slip, which inhibited the formation of the shear band. The difference in the activity of non-octahedral slips and planar slips determined the strain hardening effect, which should be the reason for the variation of mechanical properties of as-rolled sheets.