The Determining Influence of the Phase Composition on the Mechanical Properties of Titanium—Iron Alloys after High-Pressure Torsion

Abstract

Three titanium alloys with 0.5, 6, and 9 wt.% iron were investigated, and the samples were pre-annealed in three different regions of the Ti–Fe phase diagram, namely β, α+β, and α+FeTi. After annealing, five samples of different phases and structural compositions were studied. They were then subjected to the high-pressure torsion (HPT). The microstructure of the samples before and after HPT treatment was studied using transmission and scanning electron microscopy. The microstructure of the samples obtained during heat treatment before HPT treatment had a fundamental effect on the microstructure after HPT. Grain boundary layers and chains of particles formed during the annealing process made it difficult to mix the material during HPT, which led to the formation of areas with non-uniform mixing of components. Thus, the grain boundary layers of the α-phase formed in the Ti–6wt % Fe alloy after annealing at 670 °C significantly decreased the mixing of the components during HPT. Despite the fact that the microstructure and phase composition of Ti–6wt % Fe alloys pre-annealed in three different regions of the Ti–Fe phase diagram had significant differences, after HPT treatment, the phase compositions of the studied samples were quite similar. Moreover, the measured micro- and nanohardness as well as the Young’s modulus of Ti–6wt % Fe alloy had similar values. It was shown that the microhardness of the studied samples increased with the iron content. The values of nanohardness and Young’s modulus correlated well with the fractions of β- and ω-phases in the studied alloys.