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Acta Metall Sin  2025, Vol. 61 Issue (7): 1060-1070    DOI: 10.11900/0412.1961.2023.00355
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Solid-State Phase Transformation Behavior of a Novel Ti-Al-Mn-Nb Alloy
WANG Qiang1,2, LI Xiaobing2, HAO Junjie2, CHEN Bo2, ZHANG Bin2(), ZHANG Erlin1, LIU Kui2
1 Key Laboratory for Anisotropy and Texture of Materials, Education Ministry of China, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China
2 Ji Hua Laboratory, Foshan 528200, China
Cite this article: 

WANG Qiang, LI Xiaobing, HAO Junjie, CHEN Bo, ZHANG Bin, ZHANG Erlin, LIU Kui. Solid-State Phase Transformation Behavior of a Novel Ti-Al-Mn-Nb Alloy. Acta Metall Sin, 2025, 61(7): 1060-1070.

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Abstract  

γ-TiAl based alloys are advanced structural materials use in the automotive and aerospace industries. Their notable characteristics, including low density, high specific yield strength, and exceptional resistance to creep and oxidation, make them highly viable for being used as structural components in high-temperature applications of internal combustion engines. The novel β-solidifying γ-TiAl alloy designed in this study demonstrated excellent oxidation resistance at temperatures of 750, 800, and 850 oC. However, research regarding the solid-state phase transformations and microstructure control of this alloy is lacking. The study of the phase transformation behavior and microstructural evolution of alloys is crucial for developing appropriate thermal processing and heat treatment techniques for β-solidifying γ-TiAl alloys. This work introduces a novel Ti-Al-Mn-Nb alloy, with a nominal composition of Ti-43Al-1.5Mn-3Nb-0.2Si-0.2C-0.1B (atomic fraction, %). Using Pandat software for thermodynamic calculations, along with techniques such as EPMA, TEM, EBSD, and XRD, an extensive and meticulous investigation of the microstructural transformations within the range from 1440 oC to 1000 oC for this innovative alloy was undertaken. The results indicate that the as-cast microstructure of the alloy comprises a lamellar colony (α2/γ), grain γ phase, and a small amount of βo. The solidification pathway of the alloy can be determined as follows: liquid→liquid + βββ + ααα + γ→(α2 + γ)→(α2 + γ) + βo→(α2 + γ) + βo + γg. The temperature at which the alloy exists as a single β phase (Tβ ) is approximately 1420 oC, while the decomposition temperature of γ phase (Tγ,solv) is approximately 1280 oC; additionally, the eutectoid transformation temperature (Teut) is approximately 1160 oC. Slightly below Tγ, solv, the γ precipitated from the α phase exhibits a lamellar structure. The α and γ phases consistently demonstrate a Blackburn orientation relationship: (111) γ //(0001)α2 and <11¯0> γ //<112¯0>α2, respectively. The secondary βo phase precipitated from the α phase appears as a block shape and follows the Burgers orientation relationship: (110)βO//(0001)α2 and <111>βO//<112¯0>α2. The Vickers hardness of the quenched microstructure of the novel alloy ranges between 385 and 512 HV. With an increase in the quenching temperature, there is an observable enhancement in the microhardness of the quenched microstructure. The martensite microstructure formed after quenching in the β single-phase area contributes to the hardness of 512 HV. This novel alloy encompasses the β and α single-phase areas; thereby holding significant implications for the development of novel, highly deformable, and high-temperature-resistant β-solidifying γ-TiAl alloys characterized with fully lamellar structures.

Key words:  β solidifying γ-TiAl alloy      solid-state phase transformation      microstructure      solidification pathway      microhardness     
Received:  23 August 2023     
ZTFLH:  TG146.23  
Fund: National Natural Science Foundation of China(51971215);Scientific Research Project of Ji Hua Laboratory(X210291TL210)

URL: 

https://www.ams.org.cn/EN/10.11900/0412.1961.2023.00355     OR     https://www.ams.org.cn/EN/Y2025/V61/I7/1060

Fig.1  Equilibrium phase diagram of Ti-Al-Mn-Nb alloy
Fig.2  Low (a) and high (b) magnified EPMA images, XRD spectrum (c), and TEM image (d) of as-cast Ti-Al-Mn-Nb alloy
Fig.3  EPMA image and element distribution maps of as-cast Ti-Al-Mn-Nb alloy
PhaseTiAlMnNbSi
βo56.9533.444.913.980.72
α2/γ50.9244.801.432.650.20
γ49.4745.281.823.110.32
Table 1  Point analysis results of phases in Fig.3
Fig.4  XRD spectra of water quenched Ti-Al-Mn-Nb alloy after holding at different temperatures for 30 min
Fig.5  EPMA images of water quenched Ti-Al-Mn-Nb alloy after holding at 1440 oC (a), 1420 oC (b), 1360 oC (c), and 1320 oC (d) for 30 min (Insets in Figs.5c and d show the high magnified images)
Fig.6  EPMA images of water quenched Ti-Al-Mn-Nb alloy after holding at 1300 oC (a), 1280 oC (b), 1260 oC (c), 1240 oC (d), 1200 oC (e), and 1160 oC (f) for 30 min
Fig.7  EBSD phase maps (a-c) and pole figures (d-f) of water quenched Ti-Al-Mn-Nb alloy after holding at 1240 oC (a, d), 1200 oC (b, e), and 1160 oC (c, f) for 30 min, respectively
Fig.8  Phase volume fraction results of β, α, and γ phases in water quenched Ti-Al-Mn-Nb alloy after holding at different temperatures for 30 min
Fig.9  Schematics illustrating the phase transformation of the Ti-Al-Mn-Nb alloy during cooling
(a) primary β phase
(b) precipitation of α from β phase
(c) transformation of the β phase into the α phase completely
(d) precipitation of γ lamellae from the α phase
(e) precipitation of βo from the lamellar colony
(f) precipitation of γg from the βo phase
Fig.10  Correlation of Vickers hardness and water quenched microstructure of Ti-Al-Mn-Nb alloys after holding at different temperatures for 30 min
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