Effects of heat treatment on microstructure and microhardness of linear friction welded dissimilar Ti alloys

A detailed investigation for the influence of post weld heat treatment （PWHT） on the microstructure of TC4 and TC17 dissimilar joints was analyzed. The fully transformed microstructure in the as-welded zone indicated that the peak temperature exceeded theβ-transus temperature at the weld interface during linear friction welding. TC4 side was mainly composed of martensiteα′phase with random distribution and it was singleβfor that of TC17. In the thermomechanically affected zones of TC4 and TC17, the structure undergoes severe plastic deformation and re-orientation, yet without altering the phase fractions. After PWHT, in the weld zone of TC4 alloy, the phase transformationα′→α＋βoccurred and the acicularαwas coarsened, which resulted in a decrease in hardness. In the weld zone of TC17 alloy, fineαphase precipitated at the grain boundary and withinβgrains, which resulted in a sharp increase in hardness.

Thermodynamic Analysis on Interaction between Molten Ti Alloys and Oxide Molding Materials

A thermodynamic model has been built up for the interactions between molten Ti alloys and oxide molding materials in the way of decomposition and solution of molding materials, then the influences on the reaction free energy changes have been calculated and discussed.

A Research on Investment Casting Technology of Ti Alloys

In this research, the materials and the compositions of the surface slurries were chosen by considering the characteristics of Ti investment casting. The effects of solid-liquid ratios on the properties of the slurry and the effects of baking temperatures on the flexural strength have also been investigated. Flawless shells having smooth inner surface were manufactured with proper technology. Ti and its alloys were melted and poured by water-cooled Cu crucible vacuum induction furnace. The qualities of the investment castings made accordingly were studied and analyzed.

Effect of Molybdate Ions on the Corrosion Behaviour of Ti Alloys

Titanium alloys are extensively used in power, chemical and petroleum industries as constructional materials for vessels and heat transfer tubes. Moreover they are candidate materials for nuclear waste disposal. These alloys have superior resistance to localized forms of corrosion compared to stainless steels and Ni-base alloys. However, this resistance is not as remarkable in crevice corrosion conditions in some aggressive media. Electrochemical corrosion tests were conducted on two ASTM Ti grades namely, Ti-2 and Ti-12 in extremely low pH acidic environment. Results indicated that Ti-2 has less resistance to both general and crevice corrosion attack than Ti-12. Both alloys possess better resistance to general corrosion than to crevice corrosion. Also, results showed that the molybdate addition improves remarkably the resistance of Ti-2 to both types of attack. The increase of molybdate ions concentration from 0.03 mol/L to 0.15 mol/L made Ti-2 to be as resistant as, or somewhat higher than, Ti-12. The elecrochemical findings were further supplemented by optical examination of the corroded surface.

Microstructure and mechanical property of additively manufactured NiTi alloys:A comparison between selective laser melting and directed energy deposition

NiTi shape memory alloy(SMA)with nominal composition of Ni 50.8 at%and Ti 49.2 at%was additively manufactured(AM)by selective laser melting(SLM)and laser directed energy deposition(DED)for a comparison study,with emphasis on its phase composition,microstructure,mechanical property and deformation mechanism.The results show that the yield strength and ductility obtained by SLM are 100 MPa and 8%,respectively,which are remarkably different from DED result with 700 MPa and 2%.The load path of SLM sample presents shape memory effect,corresponding to martensite phase detected by XRD;while the load path of DED presents pseudo-elasticity with austenite phase.In SLM sample,fine grain and hole provide a uniform deformation during tensile test,resulting in a better elongation.Furthermore,the nonequilibrium solidification was studied by a temperature field simulation to understand the difference of the two 3D printing methods.Both temperature gradient G and growth rate R determine the microstructure and phase in the SLM sample and DED sample,which leads to similar grain morphologies because of similar G/R.While higher G×R of SLM leads to a finer grain size in SLM sample,providing enough driving force for martensite transition and subsequently changing texture compared to DED sample.

DEVELOPING MULTIPHASE AL_3Ti ALLOYS

To explore the approaches of combined toughening and strengthening of the Al_3Ti-based L1_2 intermetallic alloys, multiphase Al_3Ti alloys formed by combining with reinforcement or by second phase precipitation are being studied. The interface reactions between Al_(66)Fe_9Ti_(25)matrix and SiC reinforcement were investigated. It is determined that SiC is chemically incompatible with the Al_(66)Fe_9Ti_(25)matrix, Al_2O_3 barrier coating on SiC by sol-gel process was developed to minimize the interfacial reactions. On the other hand, a new type of Al_3Ti-based alloy having a L1_2 matrix with second phase precipitation has been developed. The quaternary alloys based on Al_(66)Fe_9Ti_(25)and modified with Nb additions, consist of a L1_2 matrix and D0_(22) second phase in the annealed state ,but the second phase can be dissolved by solution treatment and precipitated during high temperature aging.

Oxidation resistant low-alloyed Ti alloys with good ductility

Oxidation resistance enhancement of pure Ti often comes at the cost of reduced ductility,which is frequently the problem through alloying with sole Al,Si,W,Mo and B.To overcome the short coming of single element alloying,this paper proposes a multi-element low-alloying strategy to take advantage of synergistic effects and resolve the conflict between oxidation resistance and ductility.It demonstrates that the addition of a small quantity of Ta(0.51wt%)can boost both oxidation resistance and ductility in comparison to pure Ti.Furthermore,the combined addition of a small amount(0.54 wt%)of Ta,Nb and Si not only preserves good ductility of pure Ti,but also reduces mass gains to 14%-67%of pure Ti during 100 h oxidation at 650-850℃in air.This indicates even better oxidation resistance than that obtained through the use of Ta,Nb,or Nb+Ta additions.The Ta+Nb+Si alloying creates an oxide layer that is less porous and more resistant to stratification and spalling.Consequently,a 3-μm N-rich layer can form in the Ti substrate beneath the oxide scale,in which phase transformation generates coherent Ti_(2)N with(0001)_(Ti)as the habit plane,with N atoms prefers to diffuse along■than along[0001]_(Ti).The completely transformed Ti_(2)N region or partially transformed Ti+Ti_(2)N region can effectively impede oxygen invasion.Therefore,the multielement low-alloying strategy is promising for enhancing both oxidation resistance and mechanical properties of metallic materials in the future.

Influence of anodization conditions on deposition of hydroxyapatite onα/βTi alloys for osseointegration:Atomic force microscopy analysis

Integrating titanium-based implants with the surrounding bone tissue remains challenging.This study aims to explore the impact of different anodization voltages(20−80 V)on the surface topography of two-phase(α/β)Ti alloys and to produce TiO_(2) films with enhanced bone formation abilities.Scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy(SEM−EDS)and atomic force microscopy(AFM)were applied to investigate the morphological,chemical,and surface topography of the prepared alloys and to confirm the growth of hydroxyapatite(HA)on their surfaces.Results disclosed that the surface roughness of TiO_(2) films formed on Ti−6Al−7Nb alloys was superior to that of Ti−6Al−4V alloys.Ti−6Al−7Nb alloy anodized at 80 V had the highest yields of HA after immersion in simulated body fluid with enhanced HA surface coverage.The developed HA layer had a mean thickness of(128.38±18.13)μm,suggesting its potential use as an orthopedic implantable material due to its promising bone integration and,hence,remarkable stability inside the human body.

Metallurgical Microstructure Complexity in the Electron Beam Welding (EBW) Joint of Ti6246

Electron Beam Welding (EBW) is employed to both melt and unite materials, influencing their thermal history and subsequently determining the microstructure and properties of the welded joint. Welding Titanium alloys involves undergoing local melting and rapid solidification, subjecting the material to thermal stresses induced by a thermal expansion coefficient of 9.5 × 10 m/m°C. This process, reaching range temperatures from the full melting alloy to room temperature, results in phase formation dictated by the thermodynamic preferences of the alloyed elements, posing a significant challenge. Recent efforts in simulation and calculations have been undertaken elsewhere to address this challenge. This study focuses on a joint of two plates with differing cross-sectional areas, influencing heat transfer during welding. This report presents a case study focusing on the metallurgical changes observed in the microstructure within the welded zone, emphasizing alterations in the cooling rate of the welded joint. The investigation utilizes optical metallography, Vickers’s Hardness testing, and SEM (scanning electron microscopy) to comprehensively characterize the observed changes in addition to heat transfer simulation of the welded zone.

Toward developing Ti alloys with high fatigue crack growth resistance by additive manufacturing

Fatigue crack growth behaviors were investigated by three-point bending tests for TA19 alloy fabricated by laser metal deposition and four kinds of heat-treated samples.The crack growth resistance of the TA19 samples in the near-threshold regime and Paris regime was evaluated through the experimental characterization and theoretical analysis of the interaction between fatigue crack andα/βphase inter-face,columnar prior-βgrain boundary and colony boundary.The results show that in the near-threshold regime,the fatigue crack propagation threshold and resistance increase with the increase of widths of lamellarαp phases and colonies,and the decrease of the number ofαlaths with an angle(ϕ)relative to the applied stress direction ranging from 75°to 90°.In the Paris regime,the fatigue cracking path can be deflected at colony boundaries or columnar prior-βgrain boundaries.The larger the deflection angle,the more tortuous the cracking path and the lower the fatigue crack growth rate.The angle(γ)of the columnar prior-βgrain growth direction relative to the build direction affects not onlyϕof differentαvariants,but also the fatigue cracking path deflection angle(θij)at columnar prior-βgrain boundaries.An optimal combination ofγ=0°-15°-0°-15°for several adjacent columnar prior-βgrains is derived from the theoretical analysis,and that can effectively avoidϕbeing in the range from 75°to 90°and makeθij as large as possible.Such findings provide a guide for the selection of scanning strategies and process parameters to additively manufacture Ti alloys with high fatigue damage tolerance.

Enhanced wear resistance,antibacterial performance,and biocompatibility using nanotubes containing nano-Ag and bioceramics in vitro

A good Ti-based joint implant should prevent stress shielding and achieve good bioactivity and anti-infection performance.To meet these requirements,the low-elastic-modulus alloy—Ti–35Nb–2Ta–3Zr—was used as the substrate,and functional coatings that contained bioceramics and Ag ions were prepared for coating on TiO_(2)nanotubes(diameter:(80±20)nm and(150±40)nm)using anodization,deposition,and spin-coating methods.The effects of the bioceramics(nano-β-tricalcium phosphate,microhydroxyapatite(micro-HA),and meso-CaSiO_(3))and Ag nanoparticles(size:(50±20)nm)on the antibacterial activity and the tribocorrosion,corrosion,and early in vitro osteogenic behaviors of the nanotubes were investigated.The tribocorrosion and corrosion results showed that the wear rate and corrosive rate were highly dependent on the features of the nanotube surface.Micro-HA showed great wear resistance with a wear rate of(1.26±0.06)×10^(−3)mm^(3)/(N·m)due to adhesive and abrasivewear.Meso-CaSiO_(3)showed enhanced cell adhesion,proliferation,and alkaline phosphatase activity.The coatings that contained nano-Ag exhibited good antibacterial activity with an antibacterial rate of≥89.5%against Escherichia coli.These findings indicate that hybrid coatings may have the potential to accelerate osteogenesis.

Microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of duplex-phase Ti6242 alloy treated by laser shock peening

The effects of laser shock peening(LSP)on the microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of the Ti6242 alloy,including the residual stress,surface roughness,Vickers microhardness,tensile mechanical response,and high-cycle fatigue properties,were studied.The results showed that the LSP induced residual compressive stresses on the surface and near surface of the material.The maximum surface residual compressive stress was−661 MPa,and the compressive-stress-affected depth was greater than 1000μm.The roughness and Vickers micro-hardness increased with the number of shocks,and the maximum hardness-affected depth was about 700μm after three LSP treatments.LSP enhanced the fraction of low-angle grain boundaries,changed the grain preferred orientations,and notably increased the pole density ofαphase on the near surface from 2.41 to 3.46.The surface hardness values of the LSP samples increased with the increase of the number of shocks due to work hardening,while the LSP had a limited effect on the tensile properties.The high-cycle fatigue life of the LSP-treated sample was significantly enhanced by more than 20%compared with that of the untreated sample,which was caused by the suppression of the initiation and propagation of fatigue cracks.

Laser processing effects on Ti−45Nb alloy surface,corrosive and biocompatible properties

The Ti−45Nb(wt.%)alloy properties were investigated in relation to its potential biomedical use.Laser surface modification was utilized to improve its performance in biological systems.As a result of the laser treatment,(Ti,Nb)O scale was formed and various morphological features appeared on the alloy surface.The electrochemical behavior of Ti−45Nb alloy in simulated body conditions was evaluated and showed that the alloy was highly resistant to corrosion deterioration regardless of additional laser surface modification treatment.Nevertheless,the improved corrosion resistance after laser treatment was evident(the corrosion current density of the alloy before laser irradiation was 2.84×10^(−8)A/cm^(2),while that after laser treatment with 5 mJ was 0.65×10^(−8)A/cm^(2))and ascribed to the rapid formation of a complex and passivating bi-modal surface oxide layer.Alloy cytotoxicity and effects of the Ti−45Nb alloy laser surface modification on the MRC-5 cell viability,morphology,and proliferation were also investigated.The Ti−45Nb alloy showed no cytotoxic effect.Moreover,cells showed improved viability and adherence to the alloy surface after the laser irradiation treatment.The highest average cell viability of 115.37%was attained for the alloy laser-irradiated with 15 mJ.Results showed that the laser surface modification can be successfully utilized to significantly improve alloy performance in a biological environment.

Fretting-corrosion mechanisms of Ti6Al4V against CoCrMo in simulated body fluid under various fretting states

Ti6Al4V alloy‒CoCrMo alloy pair is commonly applied for modular head‒neck interfaces for artificial hip joint.Unfortunately,the fretting corrosion damage at this interface seriously restricts its lifespan.This work studied the fretting corrosion of Ti6Al4V‒CoCrMo pair in calf serum solution.We established this material pair’s running condition fretting map(RCFM)regarding load and displacement,and revealed the damage mechanism of this material pair in various fretting regimes,namely partial slip regime(PSR),mixed fretting regime(MFR),and gross slip regime(GSR).The damage mechanism of Ti6Al4V alloy was mainly abrasive wear induced by CoCrMo alloy and tribocorrosion.Adhesive wear(material transfer)also existed in MFR.The damage mechanism of CoCrMo alloy was mainly abrasive wear induced by metal oxides and tribocorrosion in GSR and MFR,while no apparent damage in PSR.Furthermore,a dense composite material layer with high hardness was formed in the middle contacting area in GSR,which reduced the corrosion and wear of Ti alloys and exacerbated damage to Co alloys.Finally,the ion concentration maps for Ti and Co ions were constructed,which displayed the transition in the amount of released Ti and Co ions under different displacements and loads.

Thermodynamic analysis of interactions between Ti-Al alloys and oxide ceramics

The thermodynamics of interactions between various oxides（CaO,MgO,Al2O3 and Y2O3） and molten Ti and Ti alloys was investigated.The dissolution mechanism of oxides in molten Ti alloys was provided and the stability of oxides in molten Ti alloys was investigated and predicted by thermodynamic analysis.Interactions between oxides and Ti-Al melts were studied by oxide crucible melting experiments.By quantitative analysis,it is indicated that impurity contents in alloys are proportionally decreased with increasing the Al content in alloys and decreasing the melt temperature,which is in agreement with the results of the predicting thermodynamic stability.

Corrosion and tribocorrosion behaviors of AISI 316 stainless steel and Ti6Al4V alloys in artificial seawater

The corrosion and tribocorrosion behaviors of AISI 316 stainless steel and Ti6Al4V alloys sliding against Al2O3 in artificial seawater using a pin-on-disk test rig were investigated. And the synergistic effect between corrosion and wear was emphatically evaluated. The results show that the open circuit potentials of both alloys drop down to more negative value due to friction. The corrosion current densities obtained under tribocorrosion condition are much higher than those under corrosion-only condition. Friction obviously accelerates the corrosion of the alloys. The wear loss for both alloys is larger in seawater than that in pure water. Wear loss is obviously accelerated by corrosion. And AISI 316 stainless steel is less resistant to sliding damage than Ti6Al4V alloy. The synergistic effect between wear and corrosion is a significant factor for the materials loss in tribocorrosion. In this surface-on-surface contact geometry friction system, the material loss is large but the ratio of wear-accelerated-corrosion to the total wear loss is very low.

Improving in plasticity of orthorhombic Ti_2AlNb-based alloys sheet by high density electropulsing

In order to optimize the ductility of orthorhombic Ti2AlNb-based alloys sheet,Ti22Al27Nb sheet was treated by high density electropulsing（J max =6.80 7.09 kA/mm2,tp =110 μs） under ambient condition.Microstructures were observed by SEM,and the tensile properties were also studied using uniaxial tension tests.The experimental results show that electropulsing can refine the microstructures of Ti22Al27Nb sheets.The specimen with the fine and homogeneous microstructures has good plasticity,and its elongation reaches 19.4%.The mechanism about the effect of electropulsing treatment on the microstructure of Ti22Al27Nb sheets was discussed.It was thought that the increase in nucleation rate during phase transformation and a very short treating time were regarded as the main reasons of producing smaller grains and increase in the plasticity by electropulsing.

Interface characteristic of friction stir welding lap joints of Ti/Al dissimilar alloys

Lap joints of TC1 Ti alloy and LF6 A1 alloy dissimilar materials were fabricated by friction stir welding and corresponding interface characteristics were investigated. Using the selected welding parameters, excellent surface appearance forms, but the interface macrograph for each lap joint cross-section is different. With the increase of welding speed or the decrease of tool rotation rate, the amount of Ti alloy particles stirred into the stir zone by the force of tool pin decreases continuously. Moreover, the failure loads of the lap joints also decrease with increasing welding speed and the largest value is achieved at welding speed of 60 mm/min and tool rotation rate of 1500 r/min, where the interracial zone can be divided into 3 kinds of layers. The microhardness of the lap joint shows an uneven distribution and the maximum hardness of HV 502 is found in the middle of the stir zone.

Designation and development of biomedical Ti alloys with finer biomechanical compatibility in long-term surgical implants

Developing the new titanium alloys with excellent biomechanical compatibility has been an important research direction of surgical implants materials. Present paper summarizes the international researches and developments of biomedical titanium alloys. Aiming at increasing the biomechanical compatibility, it also introduces the exploration and improvement of alloy designing, mechanical processing, microstructure and phase transformation, and finally outlines the directions for scientific research on the biomedical titanium alloys in the future.

Electrochemical hydrogen storage properties of non-equilibrium Ti_(2-x)Mg_xNi alloys

Amorphous Ti2?xMgxNi (x=0?0.3) alloys were prepared by mechanical milling of elemental powders. Charge and discharge test, linear polarization (LP) and potential-step measurement were carried out to investigate the electrochemical hydrogen storage properties of the alloys before and after heat treatment. The results show that the maximum discharge capacity of heat-treated Ti2?xMgxNi alloy can reach 275.3 mA·h/g, which is 100 mA·h/g higher than that of the amorphous Ti2?xMgxNi alloy. The heat-treated Ti1.9Mg0.1Ni alloy presents the best cycling stability with a high discharge capacity of 210 mA·h/g after 30 cycles. The results of LP and potential-step measurement of the Ti1.9Mg0.1Ni alloy show that the exchange current density increases from 101.1 to 203.3 mA/g and the hydrogen diffusion coefficient increases from 3.20×10?11 to 2.70×10?10 cm2/s after the heat treatment, indicating that the heat treatment facilitates both the charge-transfer and hydrogen diffusion processes, resulting in an improvement in electrochemical hydrogen storage properties of Ti2?xMgxNi (x=0?0.3) alloys.