Abstract
The performance of metallic materials is predominantly determined by their microstructure. The term microstructure is comprised of phase distribution, grain size and shape, lattice defect concentrations and distribution, of the material of interest. In this article an overview is provided of the use of x-ray diffraction (XRD) for microstructural characterization of aluminum alloys. Topics in this review include: the lattice parameter, precipitation kinetics, microstrain, and crystallite size and microstrain from diffraction line broadening,