Abstract: A much higher elongation of a warm rolled superplastic Al-Li-Cu-Mg-Zr alloy was made under two-stage strain rate tests comparing with the single ones.During initial stage of deformation a deformation-induced continuous recrystallization which converted a subgrain structure into a recrystallized grain structure by a continuous increase in boundary misorientations had occurred.The higher the strain rate,the faster the continuous recrystallization and the finer the recrystallized grains.The fine recrystallized grain structure formed during the first stage deformation is the essential condition for the material to have high strain rate hardening and strain hardening during the low second stage superplastic deformation.The combination of strain rate hardening and strain hardening is the reason why the higher elongation may be obtained during two-stage superplastic deformation of the alloy.

Key words: Al-Li alloy, superplasticity, strain hardening, strain rate hardening