Dependence of mechanical properties on the microstructure characteristics of a near β titanium alloy Ti-7333

In this work, the microstructure and the corresponding tensile properties of the rolled Ti-7Mo-3Nb-3Cr-3Al(Ti-7333) alloy before and after the thermal treatments were investigated. The results show that a strong α-fiber texture is developed in the rolled Ti-7333 alloy. The deformed matrix and the texture significantly induce the variant selection of β phase. The high strength of the rolled Ti-7333 alloy is attributed to the 110 texture parallel to the tensile direction and the dispersed α phase within the matrix. After the solution treatment followed by the aging treatment, the texture decreases and the microstructure consists of the equiaxed β grains, the spheroidal α_p phase and various needle-like α variants. Eventually, the alloy could achieve an optimal combination with the strength of about 1450 MPa,the ductility of about 10.5% and a considerable shear strength of about 775 MPa. This balance can be ascribed to the performance of the spheroidal α_p phase and various needle-like α_s variants. The results indicate that the Ti-7333 alloy could be a promising candidate material for the high-strength fastener.     

Melting behavior of SnBi alloy droplets during continuous heating

An increase in the heating rate applied to samples of bct solid solution alloys in the SnBi system was observed to bring about a change in the melting behavior in that an additional melting event appeared between the equilibrium solidus and liquidus temperatures. The measured temperature of this reaction was interpreted as corresponding to invariant melting of retained β of composition C_o at the T_o temperature. A comparison of the measured values with the T_o calculated from thermodynamic analysis showed good agreement (within 1.5°C). A mechanism involving sluggish diffusion in the solid is proposed to account for the retention of C_o solid up to its corresponding T_o temperature. Moreover, the observed melting behavior has direct relevance to understanding the influence of the recalescence thermal history on the microstructural development during rapid solidification of highly undercooled liquids.     

Influence of solution treatment on microstructure and mechanical properties of a near β titanium alloy Ti-7333

The effect of solution treatment on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti-7333, a newly developed near β titanium alloy, was investigated. Compared to Ti-5553 and Ti-1023, Ti-7333 possesses the slowest α to β dissolution rate, allowing a wider temperature window for processing. The rate of β grain growth decreases with the increase of soaking time and increases with the increase of solution temperature. The β grain growth exponents (n) are 0.30, 0.31, 0.32 and 0.33 for solution treatment temperature of 860 °C, 910 °C, 960 °C and 1010 °C, respectively. The activation energy (Q_g) for β grain growth is 395.6 kJ/mol. Water cooling or air cooling after solution treatment have no significant influence on microstructure, which offers large heat treatment cooling window. However, under furnace cooling, the fraction of α phase increases sharply. α phase maintains strictly the Burgers orientation relation with β phase ({0 0 0 1}_α//{1 1 0}_β and 〈1 1 −2 0〉_α//〈1 1 1〉_β), except the α_p particles formed during forging. The tensile strength decreases with the increase of the solution temperature when only solution treatment is applied, whereas the ductility increases gradually. When aging is applied subsequently, the tensile strength increases with the increase of the solution temperature and the ductility decreases gradually.     

The phase field investigation of B2 (FeAl) phase antisite defect during homogenous transformation of Fe–24Al alloy

The B2 (FeAl) antisite defects and microstructure evolution during homogenous transformation of Fe–Al alloys are investigated by phase field kinetic model considering long-range elastic interaction energy. The results show that congruent ordering transformation dominates the aging initial stage, and two phase structures of B2 ordered phase and disorder phase are formed. The antisite atom occupation probability which indicates antisite defects decreases during congruent ordering transformation of aging initial stage. With increasing aging time, spinodal decomposition occurs within B2 structure ordered phases, and spinodal decomposition and ordering coexistence microstructures are formed at this stage. At the aging of final stage, the increase of antisite atom occupation probability is attributed to the presence of spinodal decomposition. For Fe–Al alloys with different composition, we find that with increasing Al atom concentration, the Al_Fe antisite defects increase, and the Fe_Al antisite defects decrease. In contrast, with the increase of Fe atom contents, the numbers of Fe_Al antisite defects increase and that of the Al_Fe antisite defects decrease.     

Distinct dendritic α phase emerging on the surface of primary α phase in a compressed near-α titanium alloy

The characteristic of the surface morphology of primary α phase was studied in a deformed near-α titanium alloy. Dendritic α phase emerged on the surfaces of primary α phase when the alloy was air-cooled in α + β phase field after deformation. The dendritic α grain has the same orientation with its original primary α grain. The formation of the dendritic α phase could be explained by interface instability in epitaxial growth process of the primary α phase. The dislocations induced by deformation could facilitate the formation of dendritic α phase leading to the dendritic α phase and more obvious with the increase of strain. The growth of dendritic α phase was finally limited by the nucleation of second α phase with cooling.     

Phasestability during continuous heating/cooling of Ti3AI–(Nb,V,Mo) titanium aluminide alloys

Abstract

The elevated temperature phase transitions occurring during the continuous heating and cooling of two Ti₃AI– (Nb, V:Mo) titanium aluminides, Ti–25Al–11Nb and Ti–26Al–10Nb–3V–1Mo (at.-%) were investigated using optical microscopy, calorimetric differential thermal analysis, and in situ high temperature X -ray diffraction. Both alloys initially consisted of α₂ + β + O with continuous heating resulting in the sequential reaction: orthorhombic O → α₂, dissolution/disordering of α₂, and disordering of B2. Differences in the initial microstructures of the alloys, i.e. blocky and platelike primary α₂ (α₂^P) colonies in a trahsformed β [Widmansüitten secondary α₂^s+ (β/B2)_t] matrix in Ti–25Al–11Nb, and Widmanstatten α₂^P + (β/B2)_t in Ti–26Al–10Nb–3V–1Mo, were found to affect α₂ dissolution. Dissolution, eventually followed by disordering, of the two morphologically distinct ordered α₂ microconstituents in Ti–25Al–11Nb occurred over two distinct temperature regions, while a single dissolution reaction of Widmanstätten α₂ in Ti–26Al–10Nb–3V–1Mo was observed. Similar reversible transformations were observed on cooling from the β phase field, the quantities of primary and secondary α₂ being rate dependent, decreasing cooling rate increasing the volume fraction of primary α₂ while decreasing the volume fraction of secondary Widmanstätten α₂.

MST/2014     

Thermal analysis and phase transformation behaviour during additive manufacturing of Ti–6Al–4V alloy

Despite the fact that the additive manufacturing (AM) technique has been established for almost two decades, its optimisation is still performed by trial and error experimentation. In the present work, a finite element modelling approach was used to study both the temperature distribution and heat flux vector characteristics during multi-layer deposition of a Ti–6Al–4V alloy that take place in the AM process. The results revealed the difference between different powder deposition time intervals on thermal cycles, heat flux vectors and the resulting microstructures. Good agreement between the numerical and experimental results was found. The results obtained can be used for process optimisation.     

The athermal α → ω transformation in Zr-2 at% Nb alloy

The athermal transformation in Zr-2 at.% Nb alloy has been investigated by transmission electron microscopy. Analysis of the selected-area diffraction pattern has shown that the orientation relationships between the omega and the parent-phase in quenched Zr-2 at.% Nb alloy are the same as have been previously observed for the reaction in pure zirconium. Thus it was deduced that the direct transition has taken place in the alloy during cooling. The-originated -particles were visualized using the dark-field technique. The formation of the athermal omega in the-region of-stabilized Zr-Nb alloy is discussed in terms of the relative positions of the free energy equilibrium curvesT ₀ ,T ₀ ,T ₀ and the correspondingM _s ,M _s andT _s start curves. It is concluded that the omega phase can occur over a much wider range of alloy compositions than is usually recognized on the basis of transformation data.     

Isothermal transformation and decomposition ofβ 1 phase in a CuZnAl alloy

In the present paper, the crystallography of isothermal transformation and decomposition ofβ, phase have been studied by means of transmission electron microscopy and diffraction in the CuZnAl shape memory alloy. It has been proved that the bainite formed inβ ₁, matrix when the samples were transformed isothermally at moderate temperature. The crystallography of the isothermal bainitic transformation is identical to that of martensite in the same system. When the specimens were aged at moderate temperatures for longer time, the bainite and matrix decomposed to equilibrium phases. The decomposition process can be summarized as follows: $$\begin{gathered} bainite (9R) \to 9R + \alpha \left( {fcc} \right) \to \alpha + \beta \left( {bcc} \right) \hfill \\ matrix (B2) \to 2H + B2 \to \beta \left( {bcc} \right) \hfill \\ \end{gathered} $$ There are definite orientation relationships among these phases during the decomposition process and they are shown below: $$\begin{gathered} \left( {111} \right)_\alpha \parallel \left( {001} \right)_B ,\left[ {0\bar 11} \right]_\alpha \parallel \left[ {\bar 110} \right]_B \hfill \\ \left( {111} \right)_\alpha 5^ \circ away from \left( {110} \right)_\beta ,\left[ {0\bar 11} \right]_\alpha \parallel \left[ {1\bar 1\bar 1} \right]_\beta \hfill \\ \left( {110} \right)_M \parallel \left( {001} \right)_{2H} ,\left[ {001} \right]_M \parallel \left[ {010} \right]_{2H} \hfill \\ \end{gathered} $$ Thus, the crystallography of isothermal transformation and decomposition ofβ ₁ phase and the sequence of transitions have been revealed.     

Numerical analysis of liquid fraction in solid–liquid phase transformation of semisolid alloy

Abstract

The non-linear mathematical expression of liquid fraction in solid–liquid phase transformation of semisolid alloy was derived by thermodynamic equations, and the numerical solution of the non-linear mathematical expression was obtained by the Gauss Newton iteration algorithm. The solid–liquid phase transformation of hypereutectic Al–20Si–3Fe–1Mn–4Cu–1Mg alloy was studied by differential scanning calorimetry, and it was used for the expression reliability validation and compared with the Scheil linear regression expression. The results showed that the liquid fraction of the semisolid alloy was not increased linearly with the heating temperature increasing, but increased non-linearly, which was not consistent with the Scheil expression, and the growth rate of liquid fraction was not entirely the same in different temperature ranges. The non-linear mathematical expression data fit well with the experimental data, and the non-linear mathematical expression had a smaller discrete degree and higher credibility compared with the Scheil linear regression expression. The relationship of liquid fraction and heating temperature of the semisolid alloy can be reflected by means of the non-linear mathematical expression in the case of solid–liquid phase transformation.     

Formation of fcc titanium during heating high energy ball milled Al–Ti powders

Phase transformation during high energy milling Al–25 at.% Ti and Ti–25 at.% Al powders and during heating the ball milled powders of the same compositions was studied. It was found that a small amount of Ti underwent an allotropic transformation from hcp Ti to fcc Ti during milling. This transformation also occurred during heating the properly milled Al–25 at.% Ti and Ti–25 at.% Al powders. The transformation was endothermic, and the onset temperature of this transformation was 321 °C. It is likely that only thin Ti layers which have a nanometer scale thickness and are embedded in Al matrix can undergo this transformation.     

ω-Assisted refinement of α phase and its effect on the tensile properties of a near β titanium alloy

In this work, the phase transformation sequence during the continuous heating process(3℃/min) was investigated in a near β titanium alloy. The results show that the staring formation of ω phase is about267℃, and the ending precipitation temperature about 386℃ during the heating process. When the heating temperature is greater than 485℃, there are no ω phase detected within the β matrix. Combined with the microstructural characterization, it is found that ω phase facilitates the nucleation of αphase nearby the ω/β interface and has a great effect on the refinement for α phase. As compared with the specimens directly aged, the specimens with ω-assisted refinement of α phase possess high tensile strength, but there is no yield stage detected on their stress-strain curve. Combined with the analyses of the fracture morphology, the specimens with ω-assisted refinement of α phase present a brittle fracture.This is mainly ascribed to its relatively lager width of grain boundaries and the absence of widmanst?ttenα precipitates.     

Influence of alloy element partitioning on strength of primary α phase in Ti-6Al-4V alloy

The partitioning effect of Al(α-phase stabilizer) and V elements(β-phase stabilizer) on strength of the primary α phases in the α/β Ti-6 Al-4 V alloy with the bimodal microstructure was investigated.It was found that partitioning of Al and V elements took place in the Ti-6 Al-4 V alloy during the recrystallization process,leading to the variation of the content of Al and V elements in the primary α phases with changing the volume fraction of the primary α phase.Nanoindentation tests reveal a general trend that the strength of the primary α phases increases with decreasing the volume fraction of the primary α phases,and such trend is independent on the loading direction relative to the c-axis of the α phase.The enhanced strength is attributed to the increase of the content of Al element in the primary α phase,but it is not dominated evidently by the change of the V content.The solid solution strengthening contributed from both the elastic strain introduced by the solute atoms and the variation of the density of states was estimated theoretically.     

Effect of prior β processing steps on microstructural refinement during thermomechanical processing of a two phase (α + β) titanium alloy

Abstract

Microstructural evolution in Ti - 6.8Al - 3.2Mo - 1.8Zr - 0.3Si alloy during a newly designed thermomechanical schedule has been systematically studied with the aim of obtaining a suitable microstructure for superplastic forming. The schedule involves prior processing in the β phase field and subsequent rolling in the (α + β) phase field. In all experiments the starting material was thermally or thermomechanically treated in the β phase field and subsequently quenched in order to produce a martensitic structure. The morphology of the primary α in material for hot rolling could be substantially altered from that obtained with the conventional (α + β) processing schedule of two phase titanium alloys. Prior β processed microstructure, (α + β) rolling temperature, and deformation were found to influence the α phase morphology in the alloy. The effect of subsequent annealing in the (α + β) phase field on microstructural stability has been examined. The results show that the proposed thermomechanical processing schedule provides a relatively wide temperature - strain 'processing window' in β and (α + β) phase fields over which a fine grain (< 5 μm) equiaxed α structure can be obtained in Ti - 6.8Al - 3.2Mo - 1.8Zr - 0.3Si alloy.     

Overcoming the strength-ductility trade-off by tailoring grain-boundary metastable Si-containing phase in β-type titanium alloy

It is well accepted that grain-boundary phases in metallic alloys greatly deteriorate the mechanical properties.In our work,we report on a novel strategy to prepare high strength-ductility β-type(Ti69.71 Nb23.72Zr4.83Ta1.74)97Si3(at.%)(TNZTS) alloys by tailoring grain-boundary metastable Si-containing phase.Specifically,the thin shell-shaped metastable S1 phase surrounding the columnar β-Ti grain was intercepted successfully via nonequilibrium rapid solidification achieved by selective laser melting(SLM).Subsequently,the thin shell-shaped metastable(Ti,Nb,Zr)5 Si3(called S1) phase was transformed into globular(Ti,Nb,Zr)2 Si(called S2) phase by the solution heat treatment.Interestingly,the globular S2 phases reinforced TNZTS alloy exhibits ultrahigh yield strength of 978 MPa,ultimate strength of 1010 MPa and large elongation of 10.4 %,overcoming the strength-ductility trade-off of TNZTS alloys by various methods.Especially,the reported yield strength herein is 55 % higher than that of conventionally forged TNZT alloys.Dynamic analysis indicates the globularization process of the metastable S1 phase is controlled by the model of termination migration.The quantitative analysis on strengthening mechanism demonstrates that the increase in yield strength of the heat-treated alloys is mainly ascribed to the strengthening of the precipitated silicide and the dislocations induced by high cooling rate.The obtained results provide some basis guidelines for designing and fabricating β-titanium alloys with excellent mechanical properties,and pave the way for biomedical application of TNZTS alloy by SLM.     

Effects of ageing on the temperature coefficient of resistivity of a β titanium alloy

The temperature coefficient of electrical resistivity (TCR) of the commercial Ti-15-3 alloy is negative, if the alloy is in the 100% condition. The TCR increases from negative to positive values as a result of precipitation of the and phases during ageing. An incubation or transient period, during which the value of TCR remains essentially unchanged, precedes the formation of the phase; this transient period decreases with increasing ageing temperature over the range 250–400 °C. Changes in the value of TCR signal the initiation of beta decomposition before the phase can be detected by conventional TEM and diffraction techniques. Reversion of the phase by up-quenching after ageing restores the original negative value of TCR. If both and phases are present in the aged condition, only partial recovery of the quenched TCR value is possible, indicating that the alpha phase is not reverted by up-quenching. The results point to the potential value of TCR determinations for monitoring the initiation of decomposition in titanium alloys exposed to temperatures above room temperature.     

Isothermal decomposition of the ß′ phase in a Cu-Zn-Al alloy

The isothermal decomposition of theβ′ phase in a Cu-25 wt % Zn-6 wt % Al alloy was investigated using transmission electron microscopy and electron probe microanalysis. The ordering of theβ phase was too rapid to be suppressed during quenching from the solution annealing temperature. On ageing the alloy in the temperature range 603 to 703 K, theβ′ phase was found to decompose into a mixture of α+γ phases by the precipitation of fine and equiaxed γ-phase particles distributed uniformly throughout the matrix of α. The orientation relationship between α and γ was identified as $$\begin{gathered} (001)_\alpha ||(001)_\gamma \hfill \\ [010]_\alpha ||[010]_\gamma \hfill \\ \end{gathered} $$ The growth rate of the γ phase precipitates exhibited a maximum at 653 K. Electron probe microanalysis showed that the γ phase precipitates were enriched in aluminimum and depleted in zinc, compared to the α matrix. In addition to the uniform distribution of intragranular γ phase precipitates, heterogeneous precipitation of the α phase was observed along the grain boundaries indicative of a direct transformation ofβ′ to α in these regions: this reaction was found to be pronounced as the ageing temperature was increased up to 773 K.     

In situ statistical study of the nucleation,the variant selection and the orientation memory effect during the α⇌β titanium martensitic transformation

The h c p bcc and reverse phase transformation of titanium has been watched in situ and in real time by synchrotron X-ray topography from large single crystals. Due to the large crystal volume investigated, the results can be considered as statistical. The heterogeneous nucleation character of this transformation has been shown and the orientation relationships between the two phases have been elucidated. This transformation is characterized by a severe selection of the variants. Very frequently, the transformation product, in the direct and reverse transformation, resolves into a texture composed of several little crystals with a same and sole orientation. An orientation memory effect of the titanium single crystals has been displayed. Also the sample geometric shape, the unit cell volumes, the shape deformation and the unusual temperature dependence of the vibrational entropy have been taken into account in discussing the results.