Phase Transitions and Recrystallization in a Ti-46at%Al-9at%Nb Alloy as Observed by In-Situ High-Energy X-ray Diffraction

Abstract

AbstractHigh-energy synchrotron X-ray diffraction is a powerful tool for bulk studies of materials. In this investigation, it is applied to the investigation of an intermetallic γ-TiAl based alloy with a composition of Ti-46Al-9Nb. The morphology of the reflections on the Debye-Scherrer rings is evaluated in order to approach grain sizes as well as crystallographic correlations. An in-situ heating cycle from room temperature to a temperature above the α-transus temperature has been conducted starting from a massively transformed sample. With increasing temperature the occurrence of strain relaxation, chemical and phase separation, domain orientations, phase transitions, recrystallization processes, and subsequent grain growth can be observed. During cooling to room temperature, crystallographic correlations between the re-appearing γ-phase and the host α-phase, known as the Blackburn correlation, are observed in the reciprocal lattice, which splits into different twinning and domain orientation relationships present in the fully lamellar microstructure.