Hot Deformation and Dynamic Recrystallization of the Beta Phase in Titanium Alloys

Abstract

Due to the high rate of dynamic recovery associated with the large stacking fault energy of the bcc structure, classical "discontinuous" dynamic recrystallization, occurring by nucleation and growth of new grains is not observed in the β phase of titanium alloys. Instead, the following mechanisms take place: at low and moderate strains (ε < 1), the original flattened (compression) or sheared (torsion) grains are still recognizable, although their boundaries are strongly serrated. In this strain range, grain size (thickness) results from both the convection and the migration of grain boundaries. At intermediate strains, "geometric" dynamic recrystallization leading to "pinching off" events of the original grains is observed, whereas at larger strains (ε > 5), grain fragmentation occurs by the generation of new grain boundaries ("continuous" dynamic recrystallization). The associated flow stress often exhibits pronounced softening and the resulting (equiaxed) grain size can be much smaller than the initial one. It is worth to note that a very similar sequence of mechanisms takes place in ferritic steels, as well as in aluminium alloys, in spite of their different crystallographic structure. In this paper, the above mechanisms will be illustrated by a set of data pertaining to titanium alloys.