Exploring the effects of solution temperature and cooling rate on α phase in a multicomponent titanium alloy: Insights from phase-field simulations

The solution temperature and cooling rate during heat treatment of titanium alloys will affect their microstructure and thus mechanical properties. In this study, a phase-field model of the β →α solid state phase transformation in multicomponent titanium alloys is developed to investigate the effects of solution temperature and cooling rate on the microstructural evolution of Ti60 alloy. The thermodynamic calculations, the evolution of equiaxed α phase and solute distribution during solid solution process, the orientation of α lamellae during continuous cooling process, the morphology of α lamellae structure under different cooling rates, and the changing trend of α lamellae spacing, all corresponded well with the experimental results. Our work not only gives a clear outlook for the influence of solution temperature and cooling rate on α phase of Ti60 alloy, but also provides a feasible approach for developing heat treatment protocols in actual multicomponent titanium alloys.