Deformation and fracture of Ti-base nanostructured composite

Abstract

Abstract The in-situ formation of nano-eutectic/primary dendrite bulk composites in Ti-base multicomponent alloy systems allows the design of advanced high strength materials, where a nanostructured matrix is combined with ductile β-Ti solid solution dendrites as a toughening phase. This microstructure can be achieved over a wide range of cooling rates. The multicomponent recipe stabilizes the β-Ti phase and helps to reduce the eutectic spacing to the nanometer scale. The superiority in the mechanical properties, i. e. high room temperature ductility (up to 30 %) as well as high strength (up to 2600 MPa), stems from the possibility to tailor the alloy composition leading to the formation of different volume fractions of dendrites in a nanostructured eutectic matrix. All composites with high volume fraction of dendrites offer a high ductility (∊p = 8 – 30 %) and a final failure angle in the range of 46 – 51°. The role of the volume fraction of the dendrites in the composite in enhancing the ductility as well as the fracture angle is critically assessed. The deformation and fracture mechanisms are linked to the macroscopic fracture features as well as to impingement of the shear bands leading to rotation of the shear plane and lattice distortion at the atomic level.