Correlating zirconium incorporation and thermomechanical processing with the metallurgical properties of Ti-14Mn-(x)Zr alloys

Abstract

The current study shows the effect of thermomechanical processing on the microstructure, deformation mechanism, tensile properties, and corrosion behavior of Ti-14Mn-(0–6 wt%)Zr alloys. The alloys were subjected to hot rolling at 900 °C following 30 min of reheating, with an approximately 80 % reduction and subsequent water quenching. The as-cast alloys exhibited a dual-phase (α' + β) structure, while the hot-rolled alloys were indexed for a single β phase. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis revealed a random texture indicative of a slip deformation mechanism. Tensile tests were conducted on both as-cast and hot-rolled alloys. The as-cast alloys experienced an early fracture within the elastic zone, attributed to coarse grains. Conversely, hot-rolled alloys exhibited commendable strength and moderate ductility, with strengths ranging from ∼1026 to ∼1106 MPa and elongation values from ∼1 to ∼6.5 %. The observed hardness and strength increase with Zr addition can be attributed to solid solution strengthening and grain refinement. The hot-rolled Ti 14-6 alloy exhibited the highest hardness at 403 HV2, accompanied by a yield strength (YS) of 1015 MPa, ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 1106 MPa, and the lowest corrosion rate recorded at 12.3 × 10⁻³ mm/year.