Electroplastic Tensile Behavior of 5A90 Al–Li Alloys

The electroplastic (EP) tensile properties of 5A90 Al–Li alloys compared with thermal tension were investigated. The microstructural variation at different conditions was observed by SEM and TEM. The current density significantly influences the elongation and the flow stress. With increasing current density, wider and deeper dimples on the fracture surfaces and less dislocation density and pile-ups in the EP tension samples were observed compared with room-temperature and thermal tension, which indicates the plasticity improvement and flow stress reduction. The EP effect (EPE) mainly results from a comprehensive function of Joule heating and pure EPE. Among them, Joule heating effect is perhaps a dominant factor.