Microstructure evolution and mechanical response of a boron-modified Ti–6Al–4V alloy during high-pressure torsion processing

Abstract

Research was conducted on the microstructural evolution and ensuing mechanical response from high-pressure torsion (HPT) processing of Ti–6Al–4V alloy in the as-cast and β-forged conditions with and without 0.1 wt% boron addition. The boron addition produces refinement of the prior β grains and the (α+β) colonies and introduces an additional TiB phase but this affects the deformation response and the microstructural evolution only at low strains of 0.5–5 rotations. In the initial condition the orientation of the (α+β) colonies significantly affects the deformation response and leads to differences in substructure formation in both the as-cast and β-forged conditions. This orientation dependence counts on the initial microstructural differences between the unmodified and the boron modified alloys. At higher strains, there is a similar deformation response and microstructure evolution for all the alloys. The hardness variation with equivalent strain is similar for the unmodified and boron modified alloys in as-cast and β-forged conditions and represents various deformation regimes in HPT-processing. Strength modelling confirms a simultaneous contribution from microstructural refinement and increased dislocation density towards the hardness increment during HPT processing. Overall, the as-cast and β-forged Ti–6Al–4V-0.1B alloys possess identical deformation response to the β-forged unmodified Ti–6Al–4V alloy in the initial and intermediate stages. At high levels of straining, all alloys respond in an equivalent manner, thus ruling out any possible effects from additional TiB phase or microstructural refinement for the boron-modified alloys.