The formation of isothermal ω phase precipitates and its influence on subsequent fine-scale α precipitation is investigated in a metastable β-titanium alloy, Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al. Atom-probe tomography and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy reveal that the rejection of Al, a potent α stabilizer, from the growing isothermal ω precipitates at 330°C, aids in the formation of α precipitates. Additionally, the presence of α/ω and α/β interfaces conclusively establish that these α precipitates form at the β/ω interface. Interestingly, the local Al pile-up at this interface results in a substantially higher than equilibrium Al content within the α precipitates at the early stages of formation. This can be rationalized based on a novel three-phase β+ω+α metastable equilibrium at a lower annealing temperature (330°C, below the ω solvus). Subsequent annealing at a higher temperature (600°C, above the ω solvus), dissolves the ω precipitates and re-establishes the two-phase β+α equilibrium in concurrence with solution thermodynamic predictions.
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First principles computation of composition dependent elastic constants of omega in titanium alloys: implications on mechanical behavior
Abstract For decades the poor mechanical properties of Ti alloys were attributed to the intrinsic brittleness of the hexagonal ω-phase that has fewer than 5-independent slip systems. We contradict this conventional wisdom by coupling first-principles and cluster expansion calculations with experiments. We show that the elastic properties of the ω-phase can be systematically varied as a function of its composition to enhance both the ductility and strength of the Ti-alloy. Studies with five prototypical β-stabilizer solutes (Nb, Ta, V, Mo, and W) show that increasing β-stabilizer concentration destabilizes the ω-phase, in agreement with experiments. The Young’s modulus of ω-phase also decreased at larger concentration of β-stabilizers. Within the region of ω-phase stability, addition of Nb, Ta, and V (Group-V elements) decreased Young’s modulus more steeply compared to Mo and W (Group-VI elements) additions. The higher values of Young’s modulus of Ti–W and Ti–Mo binaries is related to the stronger stabilization of ω-phase due to the higher number of valence electrons. Density of states (DOS) calculations also revealed a stronger covalent bonding in the ω-phase compared to a metallic bonding in β-phase, and indicate that alloying is a promising route to enhance the ω-phase’s ductility. Overall, the mechanical properties of ω-phase predicted by our calculations agree well with the available experiments. Importantly, our study reveals that ω precipitates are not intrinsically embrittling and detrimental, and that we can create Ti-alloys with both good ductility and strength by tailoring ω precipitates' composition instead of completely eliminating them.
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- PAR ID:
- 10249266
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Scientific Reports
- Volume:
- 11
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 2045-2322
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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