Particle size determination in an Al-3Li alloy using DSC

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is a useful tool for characterizing microstructure and microstructural evolution in Al--Li alloys. The dissolution of delta ' as measured by DSC is governed by diffusion kinetics and thermodynamic stability. The effect of thermodynamic stability is manifest by a significant variation in apparent activation energy, E. Particle size in binary Al--Li alloys in an unknown heat treated condition can be determined from DSC measurements alone after at least one TEM measurement and correlation with LSW predictions on samples with known aging parameters. Relative particle size, r sub 1 /r sub 2 , and the activation energy for coarsening, Q, can be determined without TEM. 13 ref.--AA