An experimental investigation of phase transformation superplastic diffusion bonding of titanium alloy to stainless steel

The solid-state direct diffusion bonding of a near α-phase titanium alloy to an austenitic stainless steel by means of the phase transformation superplasticity (PTSP) caused by the cycles of heating and cooling has been carried out. The test results showed that, under the conditions of T_max = 890°C, T_min = 800°C, cyclic number of heating and cooling N = 10 cycles, specific pressure P = 5 MPa, heating rate V_h = 30°C/s and cooling rate V_c = 10°C/s, the ultimate tensile strength of the joint reached its maximum value (307 MPa), and the bonding time was only 120 s. In the phase transformation superplastic state, the deformation of titanium alloy has a character of ratcheting effect and it accumulates with the cycles of heating and cooling. The observations of tensile fracture interface showed that both the brittle intermetallic compound (FeTi) and the solid solution based on β-Ti were formed on the interface, and the more in quantity and the smaller in size the solid solutions are, the higher the ultimate tensile strength is.