A micromechanical analysis of the yielding behavior of individual widmanstätten colonies of an <Emphasis Type="Italic">α</Emphasis> + <Emphasis Type="Italic">β</Emphasis> titanium alloy

The yielding behavior of individual Widmanstätten α (hcp) + β (bcc) colonies of Ti-8Al-1Mo-1V has been analyzed theoretically by considering the shearing of β platelets by slip in the α phase. Slip is assumed to initiate in the softer α phase and impinges on the harder β platelets. Under the combined actions of the external stress and impinging slip, yielding of the β platelets occurs when the von Mises effective stress in the β phase exceeds a critical value. The theoretical analysis indicates that the macroscopic slip planes in individual Widmanstätten colonies correspond to those that induce the highest stresses in the β platelets. In addition, the yield stress and the strain-hardening rate both increase with decreasing values of the angle, β _b , between the slip direction and the normal to the β platelets, resulting in soft and hard slip orientations. Soft orientation of the lamellar colony is associated with α slip parallel to the macroscopic, serrated α/β interface, which includes crystallographic interface and ledges, while the hard orientation is associated with slip normal to the thin platelets. This slip anisotropy appears to arise from increasing difficulty of slip transmission across the macroscopic α/β interface when the operative slip vector impinges perpendicular to the β platelets.     

Aging Temperature Dependence of <Emphasis Type="Italic">α</Emphasis>″-Martensite Decomposition Mechanism in Ti-Al-Fe-Si Alloy

The mechanism by which α″-martensite decomposes in Ti-4Al-4Fe-0.25Si-0.1O alloy is found to change depending on the aging temperature, with Fe-rich α first transforming in twins of α″-martensite. As the aging temperature increases, Fe is segregated at the boundaries between α″ and α. At temperatures >?773 K, the Fe-segregated boundaries provide a nucleation site for B2-structured TiFe intermetallic compounds. This process of α″-martensite decomposition is described as follows: α″?+?α″_Twin?→?α″_Fe-rich?+?α_Fe-rich,V1?→?α_Fe-lean,V2?+?α_Fe-lean,V1?+?TiFe.     

Elastic Properties,Thermal Expansion Coefficients,and Electronic Structures of Mg and Mg-Based Alloys

Ab-initio density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to study alloying effects on hcp Mg. The alloy solid solution strengthening represented by bond strength enhancement in alloys, elastic properties, thermal expansion coefficients, and electronic structures of Mg-based alloys was investigated. Results show that alloying additions with sp-metal Al and rare earth (RE) Y are capable of increasing the bond strength, with the addition of Y achieving a better effect. The bond strength enhancement due to an RE Y addition is associated with a hybridization between the d-orbital of Y and the p-orbital of the Mg atoms near the Fermi energy, and this was consistent with the electron localized function (ELF) evaluations showing that more localized and stronger covalent bonds are formed between Y and Mg atoms. It is also found that alloying additions of Al, Zn, and Y are not capable of increasing elastic coefficients and moduli, indicating that bond strength enhancement could play a major role in alloy solid solution strengthening in Mg-based alloys. Possible reasons for the elastic properties accompanying the alloying addition are given from the electronic point of view. Furthermore, from the calculated negative Cauchy pressure (C ₁₃ – C ₄₄ < 0), it is concluded that the chemical bonds between Y and Mg atoms show angular characteristics.     

Improvement in mechanical properties of dental cast Ti-6Al-7Nb by thermochemical processing

Hydrogenation and dehydrogenation, that is, thermochemical processing (THP) and its variation with a post-heat treatment (THPH), are investigated in order to improve the balance of strength, elongation, and fatigue strength of cast Ti-6Al-7Nb and Ti-6Al-4V for dental applications. Microstructures of both cast alloys change from coarse Widmanst?tten α structure to super fine α structure with an average diameter of 3 μm by conducting THP or THPH. Tensile strength and fatigue limit of cast Ti-6Al-7Nb and Ti-6Al-4V increase by around 10 and 40 pct, respectively, as compared with those of both as-cast alloys. The balance of strength and ductility of cast Ti-6Al-7Nb is improved by conducting THPH as compared with the case where THP is conducted. This improvement is due to the plastic deformability of unstable β phase because the lattice constant of β phase in each alloy conducted with THPH is much greater than that of each as-cast alloy.     

Stress-Induced Twinning and Phase Transformations during the Compression of a Ti-10V-3Fe-3Al Alloy

A metastable β Ti-10V-3Al-3Fe (wt pct) alloy containing different α phase fractions after thermo-mechanical processing was compressed to 0.4 strain. Detailed microstructure evaluation was carried out using high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron back-scattering diffraction. Stress-induced β → α′′ and β → ω transformation products together with {332}〈113〉β and {112}〈111〉β twinning systems were simultaneously detected. The effects of β phase stability and strain rate on the preferential activation of these reactions were analyzed. With an increase in β phase stability, stress-induced phase transformations were restricted and {112}〈111〉β twinning was dominant. Alternatively, less stable β conditions or higher strain rates resulted in the dominance of the {332}〈113〉β twinning system and formation of secondary α′′ martensite.     

Elevated-Temperature Mechanical Behavior of As-Cast and Wrought Ti-6Al-4V-1B

This work studied the effect of processing on the elevated-temperature [728 K (455 °C)] fatigue deformation behavior of Ti-6Al-4V-1B for maximum applied stresses between 300 to 700 MPa (R = 0.1, 5 Hz). The alloy was evaluated in the as-cast form as well as in three wrought forms: cast-and-extruded, powder metallurgy (PM) rolled, and PM extruded. Processing caused significant differences in the microstructure, which in turn impacted the fatigue properties. The PM-extruded material exhibited a fine equiaxed α + β microstructure and the greatest fatigue resistance among all the studied materials. The β-phase field extrusion followed by cooling resulted in a strong α-phase texture in which the basal plane was predominately oriented perpendicular to the extrusion axis. The TiB whiskers were also aligned in the extrusion direction. The α-phase texture in the extrusions resulted in tensile-strength anisotropy. The tensile strength in the transverse orientation was lower than that in the longitudinal orientation, but the strength in the transverse orientation remained greater than that for the as-cast Ti-6Al-4V. The ratcheting behavior during fatigue is also discussed.     

Microstructure,Texture, and Mechanical Properties of <Emphasis Type="Italic">β</Emphasis> Solution-Treated and Aged Metastable <Emphasis Type="Italic">β</Emphasis> Titanium Alloy,Ti-5Al-5Mo-5V-3Cr

The current study describes the aging characteristics and mechanical properties of a metastable β titanium alloy Ti-5Al-5Mo-5V-3Cr. The aged microstructures consist of fine α-phase precipitates (lath morphology) in equiaxed β grains. The sizes of the α-phase precipitates increase with the increasing aging temperature. The β ST WQ and 823 K (550 °C)-aged material exhibits maximum hardness due to precipitation hardening. The low- and high-temperature aging conditions result in strong c-type basal and prismatic textures in the α-phase, respectively. The β-phase of the alloy aged at low temperature reveals the presence of texture with moderate intensity. In contrast, high-temperature-aged material exhibits very strong β-phase texture. The strengths of the alloy under β ST WQ- and 923 K (650 °C)-aged conditions are the maximum and minimum along TD and RD, while the ductility values are the maximum and minimum along the RD and TD direction samples, respectively. The flow curves follow typical Holloman equation along three sample directions, and the work hardening rate curves display two distinctive regimes, namely, stage I and stage II. The yield locus plots of the β ST WQ and aged materials exhibit the presence of anisotropy.     

Texture and Crystal Orientation in Ti-6Al-4V Builds Fabricated by Shaped Metal Deposition

The texture and crystal orientation of Ti-6Al-4V components, manufactured by shaped metal deposition (SMD), is investigated. SMD is a novel rapid prototyping tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding technique leading to near-net-shape components. This involves sequential layer by layer deposition with repeated partial melting and heat treatment, which results in epitaxial growth of large elongated prior β grains. This leads to a directionally solidified texture, where the prior β grains exhibit only a small misorientation with each other. The β grains grow in \( \left\langle { 100} \right\rangle \) direction with a second \( \left\langle { 100} \right\rangle \) direction perpendicular to the wall surface. During cooling, the α phase transformation follows the Burgers orientation relationship leading to a Widmanstätten structure, with orientation relations between most of the α lamellae and also of the residual β phase. The directionally solidification and the transformation into the α phase following the Burgers relationship results in a texture, where the hcp pole figures look similar to bcc pole figures.     

Load Partitioning and Strain-Induced Martensite Formation during Tensile Loading of a Metastable Austenitic Stainless Steel

In-situ high-energy X-ray diffraction and material modeling are used to investigate the strain-rate dependence of the strain-induced martensitic transformation and the stress partitioning between austenite and α′ martensite in a metastable austenitic stainless steel during tensile loading. Moderate changes of the strain rate alter the strain-induced martensitic transformation, with a significantly lower α′ martensite fraction observed at fracture for a strain rate of 10^?2 s^?1, as compared to 10^?3 s^?1. This strain-rate sensitivity is attributed to the adiabatic heating of the samples and is found to be well predicted by the combination of an extended Olson–Cohen strain-induced martensite model and finite-element simulations for the evolving temperature distribution in the samples. In addition, the strain-rate sensitivity affects the deformation behavior of the steel. The α′ martensite transformation at high strains provides local strengthening and extends the time to neck formation. This reinforcement is witnessed by a load transfer from austenite to α′ martensite during loading.     

Effect of Continuous Galvanizing Heat Treatments on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of High Al-Low Si Transformation Induced Plasticity Steels

Heat treatments were performed using an isothermal bainitic transformation (IBT) temperature compatible with continuous hot-dip galvanizing on two high Al–low Si transformation induced plasticity (TRIP)-assisted steels. Both steels had 0.2 wt pct C and 1.5 wt pct Mn; one had 1.5 wt pct Al and the other had 1 wt pct Al and 0.5 wt pct Si. Two different intercritical annealing (IA) temperatures were used, resulting in intercritical microstructures of 50 pct ferrite (α)-50 pct austenite (γ) and 65 pct α-35 pct γ. Using the IBT temperature of 465 °C, five IBT times were tested: 4, 30, 60, 90, and 120 seconds. Increasing the IBT time resulted in a decrease in the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and an increase in the uniform elongation, yield strength, and yield point elongation. The uniform elongation was higher when using the 50 pct α-50 pct γ IA temperature when compared to the 65 pct α-35 pct γ IA temperature. The best combinations of strength and ductility and their corresponding heat treatments were as follows: a tensile strength of 895 MPa and uniform elongation of 0.26 for the 1.5 pct Al TRIP steel at the 50 pct γ IA temperature and 90-second IBT time; a tensile strength of 880 MPa and uniform elongation of 0.27 for the 1.5 pct Al TRIP steel at the 50 pct γ IA temperature and 120-second IBT time; and a tensile strength of 1009 MPa and uniform elongation of 0.22 for the 1 pct Al-0.5 pct Si TRIP steel at the 50 pct γ IA temperature and 120-second IBT time.     

Effects of microstructural factors on quasi-static and dynamic deformation behaviors of Ti-6Al-4V alloys with widmanstätten structures

The effects of microstructural factors on the quasi-static tensile and dynamic torsional deformation behaviors in Ti-6Al-4V alloys with Widmanstätten structures were investigated in this study. Dynamic torsional tests were conducted using a torsional Kolsky bar for five Widmanstätten structures, in which microstructural parameters such as colony size and α lamellar spacing were varied by heat treatments, and then the test data were analyzed in relation to microstructures, tensile properties, and fracture mode. Under dynamic torsional loading, maximum shear stress was largely dependent on colony size, whereas shear strain at the maximum shear stress point was on colony size as well as α lamellar spacing. Adiabatic shear bands were found in the deformed area of the fractured torsional specimens, and their width was smallest in the structure whose colony size and α lamellar spacing were both large. The possibility of the adiabatic shear band formation was quantitatively analyzed in relation to microstructural factors. It was the highest in the coarse Widmanstätten structure, which was confirmed by the theoretical critical shear strain (υ _c ) condition for the adiabatic shear band formation.     

Effect of Boron Addition on the Mechanical Wear Resistance of Additively Manufactured Biomedical Titanium Alloy

The effect of the addition of boron to the biomedical alloy Ti-13Nb-13Zr (TNZ) has been studied. A noticeable change between TNZ and TNZ-0.5B has been observed both in terms of morphology, and size scale of the α precipitates along with the in situ formation of TiB precipitates during laser processing. These contrasting microstructures are responsible for differences in mechanical hardness and sliding wear properties and mechanisms.     

Microstructural modification of as-cast NiAl bronze by friction stir processing

The application of friction stir processing (FSP) to a cast NiAl bronze (NAB) material is presented as a means for selective modification of the near-surface layers by converting as-cast microstructures to a wrought condition in the absence of macroscopic shape change. This may enable selective surface hardening of cast components. The complex physical metallurgy of the NAB is reviewed, and microstructure changes associated with FSP for a selected set of processing parameters are examined by optical microscopy (OM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) methods. Direct temperature measurement in the stir zone is infeasible and, so, these microstructure changes are used to estimate peak temperatures in the stir zone. The persistence of a Fe₃Al phase (κ _ii) indicates that peak temperatures are below the solvus for this phase, while the presence of transformation products of the β phase, including fine Widmanstätten α, bainite, and martensite, indicates that peak temperatures exceed the eutectoid temperature for the reaction β → α+κ _iii throughout the stir zone.     

Columnar-to-equiaxed transition during the solidification of a Ti–10V–2Fe–3Al alloy

The columnar-to-equiaxed transition in the solidification of a Ti–10V–2Fe–3Al alloy is considered during vacuum arc remelting. A GV curve is plotted using a linear model of a multicomponent alloy along with modified Hunt (to determine temperature gradient G as a function of supercooling ΔT) and Ivantsov (to determine the concentrations at the dendrite tip versus liquidus isotherm velocity V) models. The unknown parameters of the models are determined by comparing the results of model calculations with experimental data, which are also obtained in this work. The plotted GV curve is compared with the GV curve of a VT3-1 alloy.     

Crystal Plasticity Model Validation Using Combined High-Energy Diffraction Microscopy Data for a Ti-7Al Specimen

High-Energy Diffraction Microscopy (HEDM) is a 3-d X-ray characterization method that is uniquely suited to measuring the evolving micro-mechanical state and microstructure of polycrystalline materials during in situ processing. The near-field and far-field configurations provide complementary information; orientation maps computed from the near-field measurements provide grain morphologies, while the high angular resolution of the far-field measurements provides intergranular strain tensors. The ability to measure these data during deformation in situ makes HEDM an ideal tool for validating micro-mechanical deformation models that make their predictions at the scale of individual grains. Crystal Plasticity Finite Element Models (CPFEM) are one such class of micro-mechanical models. While there have been extensive studies validating homogenized CPFEM response at a macroscopic level, a lack of detailed data measured at the level of the microstructure has hindered more stringent model validation efforts. We utilize an HEDM dataset from an alpha-titanium alloy (Ti-7Al), collected at the Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, under in situ tensile deformation. The initial microstructure of the central slab of the gage section, measured via near-field HEDM, is used to inform a CPFEM model. The predicted intergranular stresses for 39 internal grains are then directly compared to data from 4 far-field measurements taken between ~4 and ~80 pct of the macroscopic yield strength. The evolution of the elastic strain state from the CPFEM model and far-field HEDM measurements up to incipient yield are shown to be in good agreement, while residual stress at the individual grain level is found to influence the intergranular stress state even upon loading. Implications for application of such an integrated computational/experimental approach to phenomena such as fatigue are discussed.     

On the Nonequilibrium Interface Kinetics of Rapid Coupled Eutectic Growth

Nonequilibrium interface kinetics (NEIK) is expected to play an important role in coupled growth of eutectic alloys, when solidification velocity is high and intermetallic compound or topologically complex phases form in the crystallized product. In order to quantitatively evaluate the effect of NEIK on the rapid coupled eutectic growth, in this work, two nonequilibrium interface kinetic effects, i.e., atom attachment and solute trapping at the solid–liquid interface, were incorporated into the analyses of the coupled eutectic growth under the rapid solidification condition. First, a coupled growth model incorporating the preceding two nonequilibrium kinetic effects was derived. On this basis, an expression of kinetic undercooling (?T _k), which is used to characterize the NEIK, was defined. The calculations based on the as-derived couple growth model show good agreement with the reported experimental results achieved in rapidly solidified eutectic Al-Sm alloys consisting of a solid solution phase (α-Al) and an intermetallic compound phase (Al₁₁Sm₃). In terms of the definition of ?T _k defined in this work, the role of NEIK in the coupled growth of the Al-Sm eutectic system was analyzed. The results show that with increasing the coupled growth velocity, ?T _k increases continuously, and its ratio to the total undercooling reaches 0.32 at the maximum growth velocity for coupled eutectic growth. Parametric analyses on two key alloy parameters that influence ?T _k, i.e., interface kinetic parameter (μ _i ) and solute distribution coefficient (k _e ), indicate that both μ _i and k _e influence the NEIK significantly and the decrease of either these two parameters enhances the NEIK effect.     

Kinetics of Post-dynamic Coarsening and Reverse Transformation in Ti-6Al-4V

Experiments were carried out on the post-dynamic coarsening of alpha and reverse transformation of Ti-6Al-4V. The post-dynamic coarsening followed rⁿ vs time kinetics and the n = 3 best fit indicated that it was controlled by bulk diffusion, i.e., by vanadium diffusion through the beta matrix. Its rate was one order of magnitude faster than that applicable to static coarsening. The reverse transformation was characterized using a compression dilatometer and occurred in two stages; the first was transformation on dislocations; the second involved the growth of the alpha structure.     

Genesis of Microstructures in Friction Stir Welding of Ti-6Al-4V

This paper is focused on the genesis of microstructures in friction stir welding (FSW) of the Ti-6Al-4V alloy. Several titanium joints, initially prepared with four different preheat treatments, were processed by FSW. Detailed microstructural analyses were performed in order to investigate change in the microstructure during the process. In this work, the FSW processing allows a controlled and stable microstructure to be produced in the stirring zone, regardless of the initial heat treatment or the welding conditions. The welded material undergoes a severe thermomechanical treatment which can be divided into two steps. First, the friction in the shoulder and the plastic strain give rise to the necessary conditions to allow a continuous dynamic recrystallization of the β phase. This operation produces a fine and equiaxed β grain structure. Second, once the pin has moved away, the temperature decreases, and the material undergoes a heat treatment equivalent to air quenching. The material thus exhibits a β → β + α transformation with germination of a fine intergranular Widmanstätten phase within the ex-fully-recrystallized-β grains.     

Deformation Microstructure and Deformation-Induced Martensite in Austenitic Fe-Cr-Ni Alloys Depending on Stacking Fault Energy

The deformation microstructure of austenitic Fe-18Cr-(10-12)Ni (wt pct) alloys with low stacking fault energies, estimated by first-principles calculations, was investigated after cold rolling. The ?-martensite was found to play a key role in the nucleation of α′-martensite, and at low SFE, ? formation is frequent and facilitates nucleation of α′ at individual shear bands, whereas shear band intersections become the dominant nucleation sites for α′ when SFE increases and mechanical twinning becomes frequent.     

Microstructure,Texture, and Mechanical Behavior of As-cast Ni-Fe-W Matrix Alloy

This article describes the tensile properties, flow, and work-hardening behavior of an experimental alloy 53Ni-29Fe-18W in as-cast condition. The microstructure of the alloy 53Ni-29Fe-18W displays single phase (fcc) in as-cast condition along with typical dendritic features. The bulk texture of the as-cast alloy reveals the triclinic sample symmetry and characteristic nature of coarse-grained materials. The alloy exhibits maximum strength (σ_YS and σ_UTS) values along the transverse direction. The elongation values are maximum and minimum along the transverse and longitudinal directions, respectively. Tensile fracture surfaces of both the longitudinal and transverse samples display complete ductile fracture features. Two types of slip lines, namely, planar and intersecting, are observed in deformed specimens and the density of slip lines increases with increasing the amount of deformation. The alloy displays moderate in-plane anisotropy (A_IP) and reasonably low anisotropic index (δ) values, respectively. The instantaneous or work-hardening rate curves portray three typical stages (I through III) along both the longitudinal and transverse directions. The alloy exhibits dislocation-controlled strain hardening during tensile testing, and slip is the predominant deformation mechanism.