NMR investigation of atomic bonding properties in Al–Li alloys

•27Al NMR spectroscopy was used to probe electronic structures in Al–Li alloys.•The electronic structure of Al is strongly modified by Li addition.•The rapidly reduced s-DOS at the EF is related to their anomalous elastic response.

It has been suggested that intrinsic ductile versus brittle properties of alloys be connected with bonding characters in some sense while there is no much proof. In this investigation, 27Al isotropic metallic shifts of Al–Li solid solutions were measured by 27Al NMR spectroscopy. Previously observed anomalous elastic properties upon Li alloying were found to be closely related to 27Al metallic shifts which were associated with s electron density of states at the Fermi level on Al sites. This result is relevant for better understanding of electronic origin of solid solution strengthening mechanisms in Al–Li alloys from the point of view of electronic structure.