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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Lattice Parameter Evolution during the β-to-α and β-to-ω Transformations of Iron- and Aluminum-Modified Ti-11Cr(at.%)
β-titanium (β-Ti) alloys are useful in diverse industries because their mechanical properties can be tuned by transforming the metastable β phase into other metastable and stable phases. Relationships between lattice parameter and β-Ti alloy concentrations have been explored, but the lattice parameter evolution during β-phase transformations is not well understood. In this work, the β-Ti alloys, Ti-11Cr, Ti-11Cr-0.85Fe, Ti-11Cr-5.3Al, and Ti-11Cr-0.85Fe-5.3Al (all in at.%), underwent a 400 °C aging treatment for up to 12 h to induce the β-to-ω and β-to-α phase transformations. Phase identification and lattice parameters were measured in situ using high-temperature X-ray diffraction. Phase compositions were measured ex situ using atom probe tomography. During the phase transformations, Cr and Fe diffused from the ω and α phases into the β matrix, and the β-phase lattice parameter exhibited a corresponding decrease. The decrease in β-phase lattice parameter affected the α- and ω-phase lattice parameters. The α phase in the Fe-free alloys exhibited α-phase c/a ratios close to those of pure Ti. A larger β-phase composition change in Ti-11Cr resulted in larger ω-phase lattice parameter changes than in Ti-11Cr-0.85Fe. This work illuminates the complex relationship between diffusion, composition, and structure for these diffusive/displacive transformations.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1607942
- PAR ID:
- 10491947
- Publisher / Repository:
- mdpi
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Crystals
- Volume:
- 14
- Issue:
- 2
- ISSN:
- 2073-4352
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 145
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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