Microstructure, creep, and tensile deformation in Ti-6Al-2Nb-1Ta-0.8Mo

Abstract

The effects of microstructure, temperature, and stress level on the creep response of Ti-6211 have been investigated. A variety of microstructures simulating the heat affected zone of a weld (HAZ), as well as the as-received structure, were tested in a temperature range of 298 K to 873 K. At stress levels below the tensile yield strength, creep curves saturate in the ambient temperature regime. The colony type Widmanstatten alpha + beta as-received structure exhibited the highest creep strains at ambient temperatures. Long slip lengths associated with the large colony size, and sliding along various interfaces account for the relatively high creep strains to saturation. Planar arrays of straight dislocations operating on a single slip system were observed for samples crept at 298 K while thermally activated cross slip was observed for samples crept at 453 K. Beta-annealed martensitic micro-structures displayed enhanced creep resistance, out-performing other recrystallized HAZ structures. Above 778 K the activation energy of creep is close to that for self-diffusion in titanium, suggesting that diffusion-controlled dislocation mechanisms are the rate-controlling processes at elevated temperatures. Creep rupture at elevated temperatures occurred by microvoid nucleation and growth. Fracture occurred along colony boundaries in the as-received structure but appear to be intergranular with the crack propagating along G. B. alpha/matrix interfaces in the equiaxed microstructures. Sliding along alpha/beta interfaces, colony boundaries, prior beta grain boundaries, and slip traces contributed to the creep strain and rupture process. Cyclic creep with a loading-unloading sequence was also performed at room temperature and cyclic creep acceleration was observed.