SVET, SKP and EIS study of the corrosion behaviour of high strength Al and Al–Li alloys used in aircraft fabrication

•AA2198-T851 is a potential substitute for AA2524-T3 with higher pitting resistance.•AA7081-T73511 is more prone to pitting corrosion than the AA7050-T7451.•Cathodic Al7Cu2Fe particles promote dissolution of adjacent 7XXX matrix.

The 2XXX and 7XXX series aluminium alloys are commonly used in aircraft applications where high strength-to-weight ratios are required. The present study aims to compare the corrosion resistance of two novel alloys developed for aircraft industry (AA2198-T851 and 7081-T73511) to that presented by the alternative base alloys (AA2524-T3 and 7050-T7451, respectively). Results indicate that AA2198-T851 may show a superior corrosion performance compared to AA2524-T3, being a potential candidate for its replacement, due to best mechanical properties. In what concerns the 7081-T73511, its resistance to pitting corrosion may be lower than for the base line alloy 7050-T7451.