Effect of stress-induced α″ martensite on Young's modulus of β Ti–33.6Nb–4Sn alloy

• Published in: Materials science & engineering. A, Structural materials : properties, microstructure and processing Structural materials : properties, microstructure and processing, 2013-12, Vol.588, p.403-410
• Main Authors: Hanada, Shuji, Masahashi, Naoya, Jung, Taek Kyun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Beta titanium alloy; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Elasticity. Plasticity; Exact sciences and technology; Forming; Heat treatment; Materials science; Mechanical properties and methods of testing. Rheology. Fracture mechanics. Tribology; Metals. Metallurgy; Other heat and thermomechanical treatments; Physics; Production techniques; Rolling; Strength; Stress-induced martensite; Texture; Thermomechanical treatment; Treatment of materials and its effects on microstructure and properties; Young's modulus
• ISSN: 0921-5093; 1873-4936
• DOI: 10.1016/j.msea.2013.09.053

The effect of stress-induced α″ martensite on Young's modulus was investigated by cyclic tensile tests, optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis to determine the low Young's modulus of severely rolled or swaged, unstable β Ti alloys. An unstable β Ti–33.6%Nb–4%Sn alloy and a stable, slightly Nb-rich Ti–36%Nb–4%Sn alloy used as a reference were groove rolled and swaged after hot-forging. The groove rolling and swaging of Ti–33.6Nb–4Sn rods formed a fiber structure composed of 〈010〉α″ and 〈110〉β textures along the rolling direction, and stress-induced α″ martensite was stabilized by groove rolling, swaging and cyclic tensile deformation. Almost completely stabilized α″, which was attained by a 91% reduction in rod diameter via rolling followed by swaging, exhibited linear behavior in the initial stage of a stress–strain curve. Nb-rich Ti–36Nb–4Sn rods that were 91% rolled and swaged showed 〈110〉β textures and linear behavior. From the slope of the linear portion of the stress–strain curves, Young's moduli along the rolling/swaging direction were determined to be 40GPa for Ti–33.6Nb–4Sn and 48GPa for Ti–36Nb–4Sn. Assuming that the rule of mixture is applicable to 91% rolled/swaged Ti–33.6Nb–4Sn with volume fractions of 0.81 for α″ and 0.19 for β, a low Young's modulus of 38GPa was calculated for the 〈010〉 orientation of α″ martensite. It is concluded that the fiber texture development of 〈010〉α″ and 〈110〉β with a low modulus is responsible for the low Young's modulus in rolled or swaged, unstable Ti–33.6Nb–4Sn.