Effect of prior β processing steps on microstructural refinement during thermomechanical processing of a two phase (α + β) titanium alloy

Abstract

Microstructural evolution in Ti - 6.8Al - 3.2Mo - 1.8Zr - 0.3Si alloy during a newly designed thermomechanical schedule has been systematically studied with the aim of obtaining a suitable microstructure for superplastic forming. The schedule involves prior processing in the β phase field and subsequent rolling in the (α + β) phase field. In all experiments the starting material was thermally or thermomechanically treated in the β phase field and subsequently quenched in order to produce a martensitic structure. The morphology of the primary α in material for hot rolling could be substantially altered from that obtained with the conventional (α + β) processing schedule of two phase titanium alloys. Prior β processed microstructure, (α + β) rolling temperature, and deformation were found to influence the α phase morphology in the alloy. The effect of subsequent annealing in the (α + β) phase field on microstructural stability has been examined. The results show that the proposed thermomechanical processing schedule provides a relatively wide temperature - strain 'processing window' in β and (α + β) phase fields over which a fine grain (< 5 μm) equiaxed α structure can be obtained in Ti - 6.8Al - 3.2Mo - 1.8Zr - 0.3Si alloy.