Effect of Supra-Transus Deformation Conditions on Recrystallization of Beta Ti Alloy

There is increasing usage of high strength Beta Ti alloy in aerospace components. However, one of the major challenges is to obtain homogeneous refined microstructures via the thermo-mechanical processing. To overcome this issue, an understanding of the hot deformation conditions effect on the microstructure, prior to and after annealing, is needed. In this work, the effect of strain levels, which is more precise than percentage of reduction, and strain rate under supra-transus deformation temperature on beta annealing are studied using a double cone sample. The Electron Backscattered Diffraction (EBSD) is used to determine the deformed microstructure and texture evolution, as well as the static recrystallized grains evolution using the ex situ annealing approach. This work provides evidence that the mechanisms of dynamic recovery and recrystallization, along with texture evolution, are affected by the deformation conditions, which in turn affected the subsequent static recrystallization during annealing. It will also be shown that high levels of strain do not necessarily lead to an increase in the rate of recrystallization. Finally, the results obtained provided several examples of guidance in designing the TMP processes for obtaining not only a refine microstructure, but a more homogeneous beta microstructure during the beta processing of Beta Ti alloy.

Development of Strain Localization in a Beta-Titanium Alloy Gum Metal Analyzed by Infrared Camera and Digital Image Correlation for Various Strain Rates

Effects of thermomechanical couplings were studied in a new beta Ti alloy by IR and DIC techniques. The obtained stress-strain curves confirmed low Young’s modulus and high strength of the alloy. The determined values of yield strength increases and values of elongation till rupture decreases with increasing strain rate. It was found, by using fast and sensitive infrared camera, that the large limit of the Gum Metal reversible nonlinear deformation originates from mechanisms of dissipative nature, probably exothermic stress-induced transition of ” nanodomains.