Strength and ductile-phase toughening in the two-phase Nb/Nb5Si3 alloys

The effect of heat treatment on the mechanical properties of Nb-Nb₅-Si₃ two-phase alloys having compositions Nb-10 and 16 pct Si (compositions quoted in atomic percent) has been investigated. This includes an evaluation of the strength, ductility, and toughness of as-cast and hot-extruded product forms. The two phases are thermochemically stable up to ∼1670 °C, exhibit little coarsening up to 1500 °C, and are amenable to microstructural variations, which include changes in morphology and size. The measured mechanical properties and fractographic analysis indicate that in the extruded condition, the terminal Nb phase can provide significant toughening of the intermetallic Nb₅Si₃ matrix by plastic-stretching, interface-debonding, and crack-bridging mechanisms. It has been further shown that in these alloys, a high level of strength is retained up to 1400 °C.