Chemical-heat treatment influence on thermal stability of microstructure, mechanical properties and fracture features of V-Cr-Ta-Zr alloy

A study of the features of structural-phase state, thermal stability, mechanical properties characteristics and fracture features of V-Cr-Ta-Zr alloy after chemical-heat treatment by the method of nonequilibrium internal oxidation has been carried out. It has been established that, in contrast to chemical-heat treatment in a defect state, the effect of oxygen when introduced into a material with a stabilized structure is observed only at high concentrations. At such oxygen concentrations, which ensure the maximum binding of Zr into particles based on ZrO2, the alloy under study demonstrates a high level of thermal stability and strength properties. These effects are associated with the implementation of disperse strengthening according to the Orowan mechanism by nanosized ZrO2 particles characterized by high thermal stability. The concentration and nature of the distribution of oxygen predetermine the spatial distribution of nanosized ZrO2 particles formed during chemical-heat treatment, which manifests itself in fracture features of the material at different temperatures.