Ti2AlNb Alloy Research Articles

Combining fasting diffusion and microstructure regulation to achieve high-quality diffusion bonding of Ti2AlNb/TA2 at low temperature

In order to reduce the loss of the mechanical property of the Ti2AlNb-based alloy after the hot processing, lowering the temperature of the diffusion bonding is a competitive approach in the fabrication of multi-layer structural components. In this work, surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT) is applied to the Ti2AlNb-based alloy and the TA2 titanium for 6 h and 3 h to obtain the gradient nanostructure, respectively. Different states of TA2 titanium and Ti2AlNb-based alloy specimens are diffusion-bonded into the dissimilar alloy joints at a low temperature of 800 °C under the pressure of 10 MPa for 1 h. Along with the change in surface states, the microstructure, interface, phase transformation, and the corresponding mechanical properties are carefully analyzed. The orientation relationship of the phases in the reaction zone, the effect of gradient nanostructure (GNS) on the diffusion behavior, and the strengthening mechanisms of joints are discussed in detail. The joint, boned with SMAT-processed TA2 and Ti2AlNb alloys, present a shear strength of 506.1 MPa, 46.2 % higher than the joint bonded with the original state. The excellent mechanical of the joint is attributed to the broadening of the diffusion zone, the appropriate distribution of the generated phases in the reaction zone, and the more favorable morphology of reinforcements. The presented findings provide a new interface design strategy for obtaining the high-mechanical-performance joint of Ti2AlNb alloy at low temperatures.

Effect of beam offset on microstructure and mechanical properties of electron beam welded Ti2AlNb and TA15 alloys

Effect of beam offset on microstructure and mechanical properties of electron beam welded Ti2AlNb and TA15 alloys

Study of the corrosion behavior of cast Ti2AlNb alloy in HF-HNO3 solution

Study of the corrosion behavior of cast Ti2AlNb alloy in HF-HNO3 solution

Insights on formation of oxide layers, corrosion, and hydrogen embrittlement on the Ti2AlNb (1 1 0) surface: Density functional theory study

Ti2AlNb alloys offer good mechanical qualities and promise for use in various applications, such as aero-engines and other industries. However, corrosion and hydrogen embrittlement remain important concerns and limitations for their use. In this work, first-principle density functional theory is used to investigate the adsorption of hydrogen, fluorine and oxygen on the surface of Ti2AlNb (110). The effects of the considered adsorbates on the surface were compared by analysing the adsorption energy, charge density differences, density of states, and work function. The current findings revealed that the adsorption behaviour of all the adsorbates is exothermic and spontaneous due to the negative adsorption energy. More importantly, the effect of Van der Waals forces and dispersion correction was considered, it was found that for all adsorbates the dispersion correction approach exhibited the most stable adsorption energies (EadsDFT-D) than the standard density functional theory (EadsDFT). Thus, the standard DFT underestimates the adsorption energy. Furthermore, it was shown that the adsorption energy strength is dependent on the surface adsorption site, with the Ti-Nb and Al-Nb bridge sites being the most preferred sites for hydrogen, fluorine and oxygen adsorption. Subsequently, it was discovered that oxygen adsorption on the surface of Ti2AlNb (110) was more thermodynamically stable than hydrogen and fluorine. This suggests that the Ti2AlNb surface will likely suffer from oxidation rather than corrosion and hydrogen embrittlement. In addition, surface atoms showed electron-charge depletion, while adsorbates showed charge accumulation. The adsorption caused charge density redistribution and altered the surface work function.

Oxidation behavior and mechanical properties of a directionally solidified high Nb TiAl based alloy between 800 °C and 900 °C

The high temperature oxidation behavior and mechanical property response of a directionally solidified Ti-46Al-7Nb-0.4W-0.6Cr-0.1B alloy were investigated. The ultimate tensile strength of the alloy at 800 °C, 850 °C and 900 °C are 647 MPa, 590 MPa and 508 MPa, respectively, and the tensile fracture mode changed from brittle cleavage fracture to micro-void accumulation ductile fracture. At lower temperatures Al2O3 forms first, growing along the γ lamellae to form oxide bands aligned with the lamellar orientation. The oxidation mass gain of the alloy after 900 °C/100 h isothermal oxidation is only 0.91 mg/cm2. The oxidation kinetics results show the microalloyed high Nb TiAl alloy has excellent oxidation resistance, which is due to the formation of a TiO2 layer containing Nb, Cr and W, the AlNb2 phase and an Al/Cr rich transition layer above the directionally solidified lamellar matrix.

Ultraviolet laser induced periodic surface structures positively influence osteogenic activity on titanium alloys.

Endoprostheses might fail due to complications such as implant loosening or periprosthetic infections. The surface topography of implant materials is known to influence osseointegration and attachment of pathogenic bacteria. Laser-Induced Periodic Surface Structures (LIPSS) can improve the surface topography of orthopedic implant materials. In this preclinical in vitro study, laser pulses with a wavelength in the ultraviolet (UV) spectrum were applied for the generation of LIPSS to positively influence formation of extracellular matrix by primary human Osteoblasts (hOBs) and to reduce microbial biofilm formation in vitro. Laser machining was employed for generating UV-LIPSS on sample disks made of Ti6Al4V and Ti6Al7Nb alloys. Sample disks with polished surfaces were used as controls. Scanning electron microscopy was used for visualization of surface topography and adherent cells. Metal ion release and cellular metal levels were investigated by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Cell culture of hOBs on sample disks with and without UV-LIPSS surface treatments was performed. Cells were investigated for their viability, proliferation, osteogenic function and cytokine release. Biofilm formation was facilitated by seeding Staphylococcus aureus on sample disks and quantified by wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) staining. UV-LIPSS modification results in topographies with a periodicity of 223nm ≤ λ ≤ 278nm. The release of metal ions was found increased for UV-LIPSS on Ti6Al4V and decreased for UV-LIPSS on Ti6Al7Nb, while cellular metal levels remain unaffected. Cellular adherence was decreased for hOBs on UV-LIPSS Ti6Al4V when compared to controls while proliferation rate was unaffected. Metabolic activity was lower on UV-LIPSS Ti6Al7Nb when compared to the control. Alkaline phosphatase activity was upregulated for hOBs grown on UV-LIPSS on both alloys. Less pro-inflammatory cytokines were released for cells grown on UV-LIPSS Ti6Al7Nb when compared to polished surfaces. WGA signals were significantly lower on UV-LIPSS Ti6Al7Nb indicating reduced formation of a S. aureus biofilm. Our results suggest that UV-LIPSS texturing of Ti6Al7Nb positively influence bone forming function and cytokine secretion profile of hOBs in vitro. In addition, our results indicate diminished biofilm formation on UV-LIPSS treated Ti6Al7Nb surfaces. These effects might prove beneficial in the context of long-term arthroplasty outcomes.

Effect of Er2O3 and Y2O3 on microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti2AlNb alloy

Rare earth oxides can significantly refine the microstructure of the cast alloys and improve their mechanical properties. In this study, Er2O3 and Y2O3 particles were chosen to add into the Ti2AlNb-based alloy with vacuum non-consumable arc melting method. For the Er2O3 particles, it has obvious dissolution and re-precipitation characteristics during melting. While for the Y2O3 particles, they are more stable, and aggregated and grew up during melting. These two kinds of Er2O3 or Y2O3 both have obvious refinement effects on the B2 grains due to their heterogeneous nucleation. Specially, adding Er2O3 particles can promote the decomposition of the B2 and α2 phases and the increases of the O-phase content. But adding the Y2O3 particles can inhibits the B2 decomposition and just only promotes the α2 decomposition into the O-phase. Additionally, the TAC-Er2O3 ingot shows the worst mechanical properties at room-temperature due to its large size and grain boundary segregation of the Er2O3 reinforcements. Conversely, the TAC-Y2O3 alloy exhibits excellent strength and ductility whatever at room- and high- temperatures owing to its fine grain strengthening and effective strengthening of the second precipitated Y2O3 phases.

A grey relational analysis of the micro arc oxidation process parameters and their effects on Ti-6Al-7Nb coating performance and corrosion resistance for biomedical uses

Abstract In current investigation micro arc oxidation of Ti6Al7Nb alloy was done to improve its surface properties and corrosion resistance. Mixture of Na2SiO3, Na3PO412H2O and KOH is used as electrolyte. MAO treated Ti6Al7Nb specimens were examined using x-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to examine their morphology and phase composition. It was observed that electrolyte composition is simultaneously included in the growing oxide layer during MAO process. From electrochemical study it was found that corrosion resistance of the Ti6Al7Nb increases during EIS testing in 0.9% NaCl solution. It was found that frequency, duty cycle, current and processing time effect the surface roughness, thickness, hardness and corrosion resistance of coating. Out of above mention parameters frequency and duty cycle has major impact on performance parameters. The objective of current investigation is to find out effects MAO process parameters on coating performance parameters such as coating thickness, hardness, surface roughness and corrosion resistance. At duty cycle of 50%, frequency 500 Hz, current 300 mA and processing duration 7.5 min, highest coating thickness 32.96 μm and surface roughness 3.3680 μm was obtained. Process parameters have the influence on pore size, biggest average pore size 3.8519 μm was obtained at duty cycle of 50%, frequency 500 Hz, current 300 mA and processing duration 7.5 min. Grey relational analysis is done to determine which process variable has the most influence on performance parameters. From grey relational analysis technique, it was observed that duty cycle 50%, frequency 500 Hz, current 300 mA, and processing time 7.5 min are ideal process parameters for higher coating thickness, hardness, surface roughness and better corrosion resistance. From grey relation analysis it was also found that frequency has most significant impact on performance parameters after that duty cycle, then current and at last processing time.

The microstructural development and erosion mechanism of BaZrO3/Al2O3 double ceramics by Ti–46Al–8Nb alloy melt

In this study, the erosion of BaZrO3/Al2O3 double ceramics by Ti–46Al–8Nb alloy melt was investigated at different melting temperatures (1833 K, 1873 K and 1913 K) and time (1800 s, 3600 s, 5400 s and 7200 s). The microstructure of erosion layer and the alloy ingot were analyzed as well as the oxygen content of the alloy ingot. The erosion mechanism was clarified in the kinetic perspectives. The results showed that the new oxide BaAl2O4 production was attached on the ingot surface, and two kinds of inclusions, i.e., (Ti, Zr)5(Si, Al)3 and YAlO3, were formed in the ingot matrix. The thickness of erosion layer, the oxygen content of ingot, and the volume fraction of inclusions increased with increasing melting temperatures and time. In addition, these three phenomena were controlled by the kinetics of dissolution, and the time exponents were approximately equaled to 0.5, indicating that the erosion mechanism was dissolution controlled by mutual diffusion between the double ceramics and alloy melts. The activation energies of three phenomena were determined by Arrhenius equation, and three kinetic models were further established.

In-situ synchrotron high energy X-ray diffraction study on the compressive creep behavior of an extruded Ti-45Al-8Nb-0.2C alloy

Wrought high Nb containing (high Nb-TiAl) alloys are potential materials for low pressure turbine blades in aero-engines. The performance and microstructure evolution under high temperature creep condition is of importance to the service stability of these materials. In this study, the internal strain and FWHM evolution of an extruded TNB-based high Nb-TiAl alloy during compressive creep are characterized by in-situ high energy X-ray diffraction (HEXRD) technique for the first time. The compressive creep test was conducted under a constant load of 300 MPa at 900 °C for 10 h in vacuum. The final creep strain is approximately 1.72 %. The microstructure and phase constitution after creep shows little difference from that before creep. Lattice strain analysis shows that γ phase is plastically deformed while the α2 phase deforms elastically due to the low creep strain. The lattice strain of α2 grains is dependent upon the deformation of surrounding γ grains. Creep induces dynamic recovery, exerting a softening effect. A high number of dislocations are visible in the γ lamellae while almost no dislocations exist within the α2 lamellae. α2 lamellae are partially decomposed and refined via the α2→γ transformation.

Microstructure and Mechanical Property of Titanium Film-Modified Sapphire/High Nb-TiAl Alloy Joints Using Ag-Cu Filler by Vacuum Brazing

Microstructure and Mechanical Property of Titanium Film-Modified Sapphire/High Nb-TiAl Alloy Joints Using Ag-Cu Filler by Vacuum Brazing

Microstructure and mechanical properties of continuous drive friction welded Ti2AlNb alloy under different rotational rates

Ti2AlNb-based alloy was joined in a continuous drive friction welding machine under different rotational rates (500, 1000 and 1500 r/min). The microstructure and mechanical properties of the joints were investigated. It is shown that the weld zone (WZ) is fully composed of recrystallized B2 phase, and the grain size decreases with increasing rotational rate. The thermo-mechanically affected zone (TMAZ) suffers severe deformation during welding, due to which most of original precipitation phase is dissolved and streamlines are present. In the heat affected zone (HAZ), only the fine O phase is dissolved. The as-welded joint produced using 1000 r/min has the best mechanical properties, whose strength and elongation are both close to those of the base metal, while the as-welded joint obtained using 500 r/min exhibits the worst mechanical properties. Post-weld annealing treatment annihilates the deformation microstructure and fine O phase precipitates in the joints, consequently improving the mechanical properties significantly. Decomposed α2 phase is a weakness for the mechanical performance of the joint since microcracks are apt to form in it in the tensile test.

Effect of heat treatment on microstructure and properties of Ti2AlNb alloy formed by selective laser melting

The Ti2AlNb alloy exhibits characteristics such as remarkable specific strength and resistance to high-temperature oxidation. Parts fabricated from Ti2AlNb can substantially decrease weight while maintaining performance, hence presenting extensive application potential in aircraft. This study systematically examines the microstructural evolution and its influence on the mechanical properties of Ti2AlNb alloy, produced via Selective Laser Melting (SLM), in response to the demand for high-performance Ti2AlNb alloys under various temperature solution treatments and uniform aging treatments (B2, B2+α2, B2+α2+O). It was found that the alloy's microstructure showed significant differences in different phase regions after heat treatment, especially the close correlation between the distribution number of O phase and its morphological characteristics and the comprehensive properties of the alloy. These results have significant implications for enhancing the use of Ti2AlNb alloy in the manufacturing, aerospace, and energy industries. They also offer a crucial theoretical foundation for optimizing the heat treatment procedure of this alloy, which SLM prepares.

The influence of electrical/thermal fields on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti2AlNb alloy from the view of molecular dynamics

Abstract The mechanism of the electrical non-thermal effects on metals is still unclear. Simulations at the atomic level are used to obtain some causes of non-thermal electroplasticity. Molecular dynamics simulations are used to study the change of defects including vacancies, edge dislocations and screw dislocations in B2, α 2 and O phases of Ti2AlNb alloy in static or dynamic situations under pure thermal field and continuous/pulsed electric fields. External energy fields can restore most of these defects. Moreover, different energy input methods have the same restoration effect on defects in the same phase. Thus, the restoration of defects in Ti2AlNb alloy by an electric field is mainly based on the thermal effect. However, the uneven distribution of electro-induced atomic kinetic energy in uniaxial tension simultaneously reduces its deformation resistance. Non-thermal effects in the electrically-assisted processing of industrial-grade materials consist of the instantaneous atomic kinetic distribution imbalance induced by electrical pulses.

The effect of post heat treatment on microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of Ti2AlNb intermetallic alloy prepared by point-forging and laser-deposition

Ti2AlNb-based intermetallic alloy is considered to be the latest class of light-weight structural material severing in the range of 600∼750 °C. Hybrid interlayer point-forging with laser-deposition (PF-LD) provides a new idea to produce near-net-shape Ti2AlNb part with promising mechanical performance. The present work mainly investigated the effect of post heat-treatment on microstructural evolution and tensile mechanical properties of PF-LDed Ti2AlNb alloy. The experimental results demonstrated that solution-treated at 940 °C–1020 °C followed by aging at 840 °C was effective to regulate phase morphology and tensile mechanical properties. With the consecutive increase of solution temperature, more fine-lamellar O-phase was reprecipitated within parent B2/β matrix during secondary aging treatment. The ultimate tensile strength was enhanced significantly from 1055.5 MPa to 1148.1 MPa with the help of precipitation hardening effect. In the meantime, stronger stress accumulation introduced by fine-lamella also exerted a detrimental impact on tensile strain capability, and the elongation after failure decreased from 10.9 % to 7.4 % with increasing solution temperature. Considering above results, this study provides a basic research for exploring the heat treatment of PF-LDed Ti2AlNb-alloy, and it is feasible to obtain high-strength and high-ductility properties by tailoring phase morphology.

Controlling the tensile properties of a high-strength-ductility Ti2AlNb alloy by hot rolling

In this work, a high-strength-ductility Ti2AlNb alloy is fabricated by hot rolling the compact prepared by spark plasma sintering. The microstructure and tensile properties of the rolled sheets were controlled by changing the thickness reduction and rolling pass. Results show that rolling causes grain growth, larger thickness reduction results in pronounced grain coarseness. Rolling cannot cause recrystallization but reheating can. Higher thickness reduction results into higher recrystallization ratio, which decreases with increasing the reheating times. All sheets have tensile strengths higher than 980 MPa with elongation higher than 9%. The multiple rolling process causes the increase in ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and yield strength but decrease in elongation (EL). The maximum UTS of 1048.1 MPa is obtained after two rolling passes with 42% thickness reduction per pass. The maximum EL of 12.6% is obtained after reheating the single pass rolled sheet with 30% thickness reduction. All the sheets present ductile fracture mode.

Electrochemical dissolution behavior of cast and forged Ti2AlNb alloys in NaCl and NaNO3 electrolytes

Although Ti2AlNb alloy has numerous exceptional properties that make it one of the most promising materials in the aerospace field, it also presents significant challenges to traditional machining. Nevertheless, electrochemical machining (ECM) presents distinctive advantages when it comes to processing difficult-to-cut materials. Regrettably, the electrochemical dissolution behavior of Ti2AlNb alloy has not been reported yet. In this study, the electrochemical dissolution behavior of forged and cast Ti2AlNb alloys in 10% NaCl and 20% NaNO3 electrolytes was systematically studied for the first time. In the same electrolyte composition, the passivation film formed on the forged Ti2AlNb alloy surface is thicker than that on the cast Ti2AlNb alloy surface, indicating higher corrosion resistance. Dissolution experiments were conducted on cube and rotary samples, followed by the assessment of surface quality using laser confocal microscopy. The experimental findings demonstrate that ECM in 10% NaCl electrolyte yields better surface quality for both Ti2AlNb alloys. The Ti2AlNb alloy in this study consists of the B2 phase and O phase, with preferential dissolution of the O phase observed during ECM.

Impact of deposition pressure on the structural, nanomechanical, and tribological properties of δ-TaN coatings deposited via magnetron sputtering on Ti6Al7Nb alloy

In the present study, δ-TaN thin films were deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering (physical vapour deposition) on Ti6Al7Nb alloy by varying the deposition pressure (0.8–0.2 Pa). Their crystalline structure, chemical composition, surface roughness, and surface morphology were investigated by using grazing incidence X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive spectroscopy, scanning probe microscope, and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), respectively. Structural analysis results confirmed the deposition of cubic δ-TaN thin films along the (111) basal plane; moreover, spherical dome-like surface morphology was observed by FESEM. Further, to analyze the nanomechanical properties of the deposited δ-TaN coatings, such as hardness (H) and modulus (E), scratch tests were performed utilizing the nanomechanical system. Moreover, friction and wear properties of the coating and bare sample (substrate) were investigated on nano-tribometer equipment using a rotary ball-on-disk type configuration. The stainless steel (SS-316) and silicon nitride (Si3N4) balls were used as the counter materials for the tribological tests. The observations of nanomechanical tests revealed that H (GPa), E (GPa), and H/E ratio values increased from 11.83 to 28.30 GPa, 176.02 to 248.45 GPa, and 0.06 to 0.11, respectively, with the decrease of the deposition pressure. In the scratch test, the highest critical load (cohesion failure) was found for δ-TaN coating deposited at the lowest deposition pressure (0.2 Pa). Tribological results of δ-TaN coatings demonstrated average coefficient of friction (COF) value ranges between 0.066–0.092 and 0.072–0.029 against steel and Si3N4 balls, respectively. The wear rate values were observed to vary from 8.15 × 10−5 to 7.56 × 10−6 and from 1.77 × 10−3 to 8.99 × 10−6 against steel and Si3N4 balls, respectively. Generally, the average COF and wear rate decreased against 316 SS and Si3N4 balls as the deposition pressure of coatings decreased. However, the coating deposited at 0.8 and 0.6 Pa against Si3N4 ball showed early delamination of the coating, resulting in the sudden fluctuation in COF plots and higher wear rate in the range of 10−3 mm3/N.m.

Electroplasticity mechanism of Ti2AlNb alloys under hot compression with the application of a lower electric current

In this study, a lower electric current (1.0–2.0 A/mm2) was applied during hot compression of Ti2AlNb alloys, and the mechanical response, microstructure evolution, and electroplasticity mechanism were investigated. The results showed that the maximum flow stress drop could reach 18.7 % after applying a lower electric current of 2.0 A/mm2, which confirms the existence of electroplasticity. The stress drop increased with increasing electric current density. However, the flow stresses of the samples in the isothermal compression test and those subjected to a 1.0 A/mm2 electric current compression test were similar, indicating that there is a threshold value for the electroplasticity effect on flow stress. The lower strain hardening rate caused by the electric current confirmed the electroplasticity effect, promoting the softening effect. Additionally, the lower average activation energy Q, affected by the electric current, implied the improvement of the deformability of the alloy due to the deformation mechanism of dynamic recovery (DRV), dynamic globularization, or dynamic recrystallization (DRX). The gradual reduction of dislocation density with increasing electric current density resulted in the stress drop, which can be ascribed to the directional drifting electrons colliding with dislocations, which promoted the movement of dislocations by arranging the dislocations in parallel. The local high temperature induced by the local Joule heating effect at the O lamella had a strong promoting effect on the globularization of the O lamella by producing uniform lattice distortion/local strain at the O/B2 interface. With increasing furnace temperature, the drifting electrons accelerated the transformation of LAGBs to HAGBs which promoted the appearance of dynamic recrystallization grains.

Effect of peak stress and dwell time on the fatigue damage behavior of Ti-22Al-23Nb-2(Mo, Zr) alloy with lamellar microstructure

Ti2AlNb alloy is one of the candidate high strength titanium alloy materials under consideration for compressor disc, which will endure dwell loading at high peak stress level during service. In this work, low cycle fatigue (LCF) and low cycle dwell fatigue (LCDF) deformation behaviors and damage mechanism of Ti2AlNb alloy with lamellar microstructure under high loading level were investigated. The results show that fatigue life is highly dependent on the peak stress (σpeak) and dwell time (tdwell). With increasing the σpeak, the LCF life decreases gradually since higher loading stress can accelerate plastic strain accumulation and lead to faster crack propagation. When at the same σpeak, the LCDF life is lower than the LCF life due to greater plastic strain accumulation caused by dwell effect, indicating a dwell life debit of the Ti2AlNb alloy. Moreover, dwell fatigue sensitivity exhibits an increasing trend as the tdwell increases. Under different loading waveforms, the fractography shows remarkably different features. Crack source of LCF appears on sample surface, while crack source of LCDF appears on surface and sub-surface of sample. The research of LCDF behavior is relevant to aviation industry to prevent premature failure of rotating components made of Ti2AlNb alloys.