Abstract
The subcritical sustained-load cracking (SLC) behavior of beta annealed, recrystallization annealed, and solution-treat-and-aged Ti-6Al-6V-2Sn was studied in dry argon and moist air. The effects of microstructure, internal hydrogen concentration, specimen orientation, and specimen thickness on threshold stress-intensity and crack-growth rate were determined under increasing stress-intensity conditions using wedge-opening load (WOL) specimens, and the fracture morphologies were studied by scanning electron microscopy. The SLC threshold stress intensities are lower and crack growth rates are higher in solution-treatand-aged condition than in beta-annealed and recrystallization conditions. The plane strain conditions increase the susceptibility to SLC. The texture effects on SLC are intensified when the cracking plane is close to the basal plane. For low interstitial-hydrogen concentrations ≈10 ppm, sustained-load crack growth is controlled by creep at the crack tip. Increased hydrogen concentration results in enhanced cleavage, lower threshold stress-intensity, and accelerated crack-growth. Of the possible mechanisms for hydrogen-assisted SLC in Ti-6Al-6V-2Sn, the most likely is that involving preferential segregation of hydrogen to beta phase, leading to fracture by α-β interface separation.
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