Search Results (41)

As a high-performance lightweight structural material with superior strength, Ti55531 titanium alloy has been widely adopted in critical load-bearing components such as landing gears and airframe frames in the aerospace sector to achieve significant weight reduction. However, when the tensile strength of Ti55531 exceeds 1250 MPa, the fracture toughness typically falls below 50 MPa·m^1/2. In this study, we addressed this challenge by precisely controlling the cooling rate during β annealing heat treatment. Through careful regulation of the cooling rate from the high-temperature β phase region to the aging temperature region, the Widmanstätten structure was successfully introduced into the Ti55531 titanium alloy. The experimental results demonstrate that this microstructure achieves a high tensile strength of 1252 MPa at a cooling rate of 2.5 °C/min, while simultaneously improving the elongation and fracture toughness to 9% and 84 MPa·m^1/2, respectively. Microstructural analysis reveals that the basket-weave structure plays a crucial role in maintaining high strength. Meanwhile, the Widmanstätten structure effectively increases the energy required for crack extension by resisting crack propagation and altering the crack propagation path, thus significantly enhancing fracture toughness. These findings offer a promising pathway for overcoming the traditional trade-off between strength and toughness in high-performance titanium alloys. Full article

Additive manufacturing (AM) of Ti-6Al-4V alloy is widely used in aerospace and medical fields due to its excellent strength and corrosion resistance. However, the microstructural heterogeneity induced by the AM process often results in fatigue properties inferior to those of their forged counterparts. Synchrotron Radiation Computed Tomography (SR-CT) was employed to conduct an in situ three-dimensional investigation of fatigue damage evolution in Ti-6Al-4V alloy fabricated via laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). Experimental results revealed phenomena of crack bridging and deflection, accompanied by the consistent presence of local high-density zones (LHDZs) throughout the fatigue damage progression. Combined with quantitative analysis of crack propagation rates, the influence of LHDZs on fatigue damage evolution was analyzed, and the relationship between AM processes, LHDZs, and fatigue damage was discussed. The results indicate that the basket-weave α-phase microstructure in Ti-6Al-4V prepared by LPBF exhibits a high correlation with the distribution of LHDZs, and the orientation of LHDZs aligns with the crack propagation direction. By adjusting process parameters such as cooling rate and temperature gradient, the formation of LHDZs can be modified, thereby influencing the fatigue properties of the material. This provides theoretical support for achieving process optimization of the fatigue properties of Ti-6Al-4V alloy prepared via LPBF. Full article

This study examines the effect of vanadium addition on the microstructure and mechanical properties of low-cost powder metallurgy Ti-4Al-2Fe-3Cu alloys. Alloys with and without 6 wt.% V were fabricated by hot extrusion of blended elemental powders followed by vacuum heat treatment. Microstructural analysis revealed that the base alloy exhibits a coarse lamellar α/β structure, while vanadium addition promotes a refined basketweave morphology with a significantly higher β-phase fraction, increasing from 28.1% to 46.2%. Energy-dispersive spectroscopy confirmed preferential partitioning of Fe, Cu, and V into the β phase. Mechanical testing showed that the addition of 6 wt.% V markedly enhances strength, increasing yield strength and ultimate tensile strength from 1122 MPa and 1214 MPa to 1291 MPa and 1349 MPa, respectively, while maintaining comparable tensile ductility (~3.5%). The strength improvement is attributed to α-plate refinement, increased β-phase fraction, and solid-solution strengthening of the β phase. These results demonstrate that vanadium addition is an effective approach for improving the strength of low-cost PM titanium alloys without compromising ductility. Full article

Ti-6Al-4V (Ti64) alloy is widely utilized in the aerospace industry due to its high strength, fatigue resistance, corrosion resistance, and cryogenic properties. However, its high raw material costs and machining difficulties necessitate the development of efficient manufacturing processes. This study evaluates the mechanical reliability and microstructure of Ti64 components fabricated using wire laser additive manufacturing (WLAM) and subsequently joined via tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding. The WLAM process produces refined microstructures with superior mechanical properties by minimizing defects; however, insufficient process optimization may result in a lack of fusion (LOF) and porosity. Microstructural analysis revealed that the WLAM deposits exhibited a fine basket-weave α structure with an average α-lath width of 1.27 ± 0.69 μm, while the TIG-welded region exhibited a coarsened α-lath, reaching 3.02 ± 2.06 μm, which led to a reduction in ductility. Tensile testing demonstrated that the WLAM deposits exhibited superior mechanical properties, with a yield strength of 910 MPa, ultimate tensile strength of 1015 MPa, and elongation of 12.8%, outperforming conventional wrought Ti64 alloys. Conversely, the TIG-welded joints exhibited reduced mechanical properties, with a yield strength of 812 MPa, ultimate tensile strength of 917 MPa, and elongation of 7.5%, primarily attributed to microstructural coarsening in the weld region. The findings of this study confirm that WLAM enhances the mechanical properties of Ti64, whereas TIG welding may introduce structural weaknesses. This research provides insight into the microstructural evolution and mechanical behavior of WLAM-fabricated Ti64 components, with valuable implications for their application in aerospace structures. Full article

The resistance to near-threshold fatigue crack growth and its correlation with the microstructure of the Ti-5Al-3Mo-3V-2Zr-2Cr-1Nb-1Fe alloy were investigated. K-decreasing fatigue crack propagation rate tests were conducted on compact tension samples (ASTM standard) with a stress ratio R of 0.1 and a frequency of 15 HZ in a laboratory atmosphere. At a similar strength level of 1200 MPa, the sample with a fine basket-weave microstructure (F-BW) displayed the slowest near-threshold fatigue crack propagation rate compared with the samples with equiaxed (EM) and basket-weave (BW) microstructures. The fatigue threshold value (ΔK_th) was 4.4 MPa·m^1/2 for F-BW, 3.6 for BW, and 3.2 for EM. The fracture surfaces and crack profiles were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) to elucidate the mechanism of fatigue crack propagation in the near-threshold regime. The results revealed that the near-threshold crack growth in the three samples was primarily transgranular. The crack always propagated parallel to the crystal plane, with a high Schmid factor. In addition, the near-threshold fatigue crack growth behavior was synergistically affected by the crack tip plastic zone and crack bifurcation. The increased fatigue crack propagation resistance in F-BW was attributed to the better stress/strain compatibility and greater number of interface obstacles in the crack tip plastic zone. Full article

In this work, the high cycle fatigue behavior and tensile properties of Ti-Al-Mo-Cr-V-Nb-Zr-Sn titanium alloy at room temperature with a basketweave structure and bimodal structure were studied. The results show that the fatigue strength of the basketweave structure is higher, while the balance of strength and plasticity of the bimodal microstructure is better. However, the fatigue performance of the bimodal microstructure is unstable due to the bilinear phenomenon of the S-N curve. By fractographic analysis and the study of the crystal orientation, as well as the slip traces of the primary α grains and β matrix at the facets, it was found that the facets are formed on the {$10\overline{1}1$}<$11\overline{2}0$> slip system with the highest Schmid factor, and the microcracks grow along the {$110$}<$111$> slip system in the β grain, but the driving force of microcrack propagation may exceed the restriction of crystallographic orientation. Based on the conclusions above, the phenomenological models of the fatigue crack initiation mechanism of Ti-Al-Mo-Cr-V-Nb-Zr-Sn titanium alloy are established. Full article

In this study, a (TiB + TiC + Y₂O₃)/α-Ti composite was prepared by induction skull melting to investigate its creep behavior and microstructure evolution under different temperatures and stresses. The results show that the microstructure of the composite in the as-cast state is a basket-weave structure, and the main phase composition is α lamella, containing a small amount of β phase and equiaxed α phase. The creep life of the composite decreases significantly when the temperature is increased from 650 °C to 700 °C, and the steady-state creep rate is increased by 1 to 2 orders of magnitude. The creep stress exponent at 650 °C and 700 °C is 2.92 and 2.96, respectively, and the creep mechanism of the titanium matrix composite is dominated by dislocation movement. TiB and TiC exhibit synergistic strengthening effects, and Y₂O₃ remains stable during creep. The reinforcements strengthen the composite by impeding the dislocation movement. The accelerated dissolution of β phase is one of the major reasons for the decrease of creep properties of composite with increasing temperature and stress. Silicide precipitation was observed near the reinforcements and dissolved β-Ti, mainly in elliptical or short rod shapes, which pins dislocations and improves the creep performance of the composite. The results of this study can provide theoretical guidance and practical reference for the subsequent development and application of hybrid reinforced titanium matrix composites. Full article

For the application of Ti-6Al-4V alloys in urban air mobility, safety is very important, so achieving excellent strength and toughness is essential to prevent fractures. Regarding toughness, which is a combination of strength and ductility, it is necessary to derive the optimal heat treatment conditions for this combination of Ti-6Al-4V alloy and further understand its microstructure and fracture characteristics. For this purpose, this study investigated the microstructure in terms of grain size, plate thickness, and element distribution, as well as mechanical properties, including phase hardness and tensile properties, of Ti-6Al-4V alloy subjected to solution treatment and aging (STA) heat treatment under various aging conditions. As a result, this study suggests that solution treatment followed by aging at 630 °C for 480 min can achieve approximately 26% higher toughness than the just-solution treatment process. This is because there is little difference in hardness between the equiaxed α and basketweave structures, and β plates, which contain an excessive V between α plates, function like fibers and delay fracture. Full article

The welding of TC4 titanium alloy sheets with a thickness of 1 mm was successfully accomplished by a swinging laser. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the welding seam under different swing amplitudes were studied. In this paper, the microstructure, phase composition, mechanical properties, and fracture morphology of the weld with swing frequency of 50 Hz and different swing amplitudes (0.2 mm, 1 mm, 2 mm, and 3 mm) were tested and analyzed. The results show that basket-weave microstructures are present in the fusion zone of welds under different oscillation amplitudes, but the morphology of martensite within the basket-weave differs. The weld microstructure is mainly composed of acicular α′ martensite, initial α phase, secondary α phase, and residual β phase. The hardness of the weld is higher than that of the base metal, and the overall hardness decreases from the weld center to the base metal. When the oscillation amplitude A = 1 mm, the weld microstructure has the smallest average grain size, the highest microhardness (388.86 HV), the largest tensile strength (1115.4 MPa), and quasi-cleavage fracture occurs. At an oscillation amplitude of A = 2 mm, the tensile specimen achieves the maximum elongation of 14%, with ductile fracture as the dominant mechanism. Full article

With the development of lightweight aerospace structures, the use of the high-quality and efficient laser welding of near-α titanium alloys has received widespread attention and favor thanks to its superior comprehensive performance. The welding experiment of 3 mm thick TA15 titanium alloy was carried out by YAG laser welding, and the material weldability, microstructure, microhardness, and mechanical properties of welded joints were systematically studied. The results indicated that laser welding of TA15 titanium alloy can produce well-formed welded joints without defects such as cracks and porosity. The welded metal used was a typical basket-weave microstructure composed of a large number of α′ martensitic phases and a small number of high-temperature residual β phases, and the heat-affected zone was a staggered arrangement of undissolved α phase and needle-like α′ martensite. The microhardness of the welded joint showed a hump distribution, and the hardness of WM fluctuated between 410 and 450 HV since the martensitic transformation occurred during the solidification of the weld under thermal cycling, and the β phase changed to the needle-like α′ phase. The tensile test indicated that the fracture position was located in the base metal area, and the fracture morphology showed the equiaxial dimple morphology of different sizes in a ductile fracture mode. The welded metal had the lowest impact performance (average value of 5.3 J) because the weld area was predominantly coarse α′ martensite. This experiment conducted systematic, in-depth, and extensive research on welding processes, hardness, tensile, impact, and fracture mechanisms. Based on the special product applications in the aerospace field, it was more targeted and conducive to promoting the application of the welding process in this material. Full article

The Ti-4Al-2V (wt. %) titanium alloy has garnered widespread applications across diverse fields due to its exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, high toughness, specific strength, and corrosion resistance. The welding of Ti-4Al-2V titanium alloy components is often necessary in manufacturing processes, where the reliability of a welded joint critically influences the overall service life of these components. Consequently, a comprehensive understanding of the welded joint’s microstructure and mechanical properties is imperative. In this study, Ti-4Al-2V titanium alloy was welded using multi-layer and multi-pass TIG welding techniques, and a detailed examination was conducted to analyze the microstructure and grain morphology of each microzone of the welded joint. The results revealed the presence of an initial α phase and a secondary lamellar α phase in the heat affected zone (HAZ). Meanwhile, the fusion zone (FZ) primarily comprised a coarse secondary α phase and a small amount of an acicular martensitic α’ phase. Both the recrystallization zone and the superheated zone exhibited a distinct preferred orientation, with grains smaller than 10 μm accounting for 65.9% and 55.1%, respectively. To assess the mechanical properties of the various microzones and the typical microstructure within the welded joint, nanoindentation tests were performed. The results indicated that the recrystallization zone possessed a higher nanohardness (3.753 GPa) than the incomplete recrystallization zone (3.563 GPa) and the superheated zone (3.48 GPa). Among all the microzones, the FZ exhibited the lowest average nanohardness (3.058 GPa). Notably, the basket-weave microstructure demonstrated the highest average nanohardness, reaching 3.93 GPa. This was followed by the fine-grain microstructure, which possessed a slightly lower nanohardness. The Widmanstätten microstructure, on the other hand, exhibited the lowest nanohardness among the three microstructures within the HAZ. Therefore, the basket-weave microstructure stands out as the most desirable microstructure to achieve in the welded joint. In summary, this study provides a comprehensive characterization and analysis of the microstructure and properties of Ti-4Al-2V titanium alloy TIG welds, aiming to contribute to the optimization of the TIG welding process for Ti-4Al-2V titanium alloy. Full article

This study delves into the impact toughness of medium-thick (12 mm thick) titanium alloy joints crafted through a multi-layer, multi-pass welding technique that blends laser-arc (MIG) hybrid welding technology. Microstructural scrutiny, employing optical microscopy, SEM and TEM, unveils a consistent composition across weld passes, with prevailing α/α′ phases interspersed with some β phase, resulting in basket-weave structures primarily dominated by acicular α′ martensite. However, upper regions exhibit Widmanstatten microstructures, potentially undermining joint toughness. Hardness testing indicates higher values in cosmetic layers (~420 HV) compared to backing layers and bending tests manifest superior toughness in lower joint regions, attributed to smaller grain sizes induced by repetitive welding thermal cycles. Impact toughness assessment unveils diminished values in the weld metal (WM) compared to the heat-affected zone (HAZ) and base material (BM), amounting to 91.3% of the base metal’s absorption energy. This decrement is ascribed to heightened porosity in upper regions and variations in grain size and phase composition due to multi-layer, multi-pass welding. Microstructural analysis proximal to failure sites suggests one mechanism wherein crack propagation is impeded by the β phase at acute crack angles. In essence, this study not only underscores the practicality of laser-MIG hybrid welding for medium-thick TC4 alloy plates but also underscores the reliability of joint mechanical properties. Full article

Ti6Al4V is the most used alloy for implants because of its excellent biocompatibility; however, its low wear resistance limits its use in the biomedical industry. The additive manufacturing (AM) of Ti6Al4V is a well-established technique that is being used in many fields. However, the AM of Ti6Al4V composites is currently under investigation, and its manufacture using laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) would result in a great benefit for many industries. The one-step novel concept proposed uses a gas-controlled L-PBF system that enables the AM of layers with different compositions. Six millimeter-edged cubes of Ti6Al4V were manufactured in an Ar atmosphere and coated with in situ Ti6Al4V/TiN layers by using an Ar–N₂ mixture given the direct reaction between titanium and nitrogen. Unreinforced Ti6Al4V presented a martensitic microstructure, and TiN reinforcement dendrites and a minor Ti₂N phase were gradually introduced into an α + β basketweave titanium matrix. The composites’ microhardness, nanohardness, and elastic modulus were 2, 3, and 1.5 times higher, respectively, than those of the Ti6Al4V. Porosity levels (caused by a lack of fusion, trapping gases, and interdendritic porosity), ranged from 7 to 12% (most measured 20–40 µm) and increased with the reinforcement content (15 to 25%). A scaled-up, proof-of-concept design of a hip implant stem was 3D printed using this nitriding method. Since the neck of the stem (top part) is more susceptible to the fracture and fretting corrosion process, the resulting graded material part consisted of unreinforced Ti6Al4V at the bottom and Ti6Al4V/TiN at the top. This change was controlled by gradually adding nitrogen to the atmosphere; moreover, it was found that the more nitrogen in the chamber, the more TiN reinforcement formed in the part. A microhardness of ~450 HV_0.1 was measured at the bottom and gradually increased to ~900 HV_0.1, with the increment corresponding to the in situ TiN reinforcement amount. Full article

This article presents a novel and feasible approach for researching the quantity of the ceramic phase and component optimization in high-temperature titanium alloys with small trace amounts of ceramic phases. Different near-α titanium alloys with varying yttrium and boron contents were prepared through the utilization of a vacuum non-consumable arc furnace melting method. The alloy used was a Ti-5.9Al-4Sn-3.9Zr-3.8Mo-0.4Si base. Its microstructure, texture, mechanical properties, and fracture behavior were studied. The observation of the as-cast structure shows that the addition of different doses of trace Y and B elements significantly refines both the original β grains and α grains. Moreover, the addition of the B element transforms the Widmanstätten structure in the titanium alloy structure into a basketweave structure. The addition of Y can refine the grain structure, improve the uniformity of the matrix structure, and act as a strong deoxidizer, which will take away the oxygen in the matrix and purify it. The TiB whiskers generated with the addition of B promotes dynamic recrystallization behavior and leads to more equiaxed α grains being precipitated around them, resulting in a significant refinement of the microstructure of the as-cast alloy. After adding a small amount of B, the texture strength of the α phase is significantly reduced, indicating that TiB whiskers inhibit the formation of texture. After conducting performance screening and structure analysis, the study supplements the analysis of Y’s regulation of the titanium alloy structure. The regulation is primarily explained by combining the results of the analysis of boron content, phase diagram analysis, mechanical properties, and fracture analysis. The mechanical analysis introduces the unique load transfer strengthening of TiB whiskers combined with an analysis of high-temperature mechanical properties, as the threshold for addition. The optimal amounts of Y and B additions are 0.6 wt% and 0.8 wt%, respectively. The optimized alloy obtained under this condition can achieve a tensile strength of 950 Mpa at 500 °C without any plastic deformation or heat treatment. Full article

The geometric parameters of the deposited layer include the width, height, and penetration depth of the deposited layer. The welding current, wire feeding speed, and torch travel speed during the additive manufacturing process of TC4 titanium alloy have the greatest impact on the geometric parameters of the deposited layer. In order to study how the deposition layer width, deposition layer height, and penetration depth are affected by the welding current, wire feeding speed, and torch travel speed, this article uses Design Expert 8.0.6 software for Box−Behnken design response surface experiments. During the experimental design, the welding current, wire feeding speed, and torch travel speed are used as input variables. The deposition layer width, deposition layer height, and penetration depth are selected as the responses. We designed 17 response surface experiments that were conducted using GTAW-AM. The results show that as the welding current increases, the penetration depth and width of deposition layer gradually increase, and the deposition layer height gradually decreases. As the wire feeding speed increases, the deposition layer height and penetration depth gradually increase, and the wire feeding speed has a minimal effect on the deposition layer width. As the torch travel speed increases, the penetration depth, width and height of deposition layer gradually decrease. The response surface method experimental design can also optimize the matching of three process parameters: welding current, wire feeding speed, and torch travel speed, thereby obtaining the optimal matching range of process parameters. Within the optimized matching range of process parameters, a welding current of 90 A, a wire feeding speed of 900 mm/min, and a torch travel speed of 200.18 mm/min were selected to prepare TC4 titanium alloy thin-walled part. The microstructure of the top, middle and bottom are all basketweave structure. The α phase gradually becomes coarse from the top to the bottom. The microhardness of the top, middle, and bottom of the thin-walled parts is 362.7 HV, 352.7 HV, and 340.5 HV, respectively. The horizontal tensile strength is 926.1 MPa, with an elongation of 12.22%, and the vertical tensile strength is 938.1 MPa, with an elongation of 14.41%. Full article