XD™ Titanium Aluminide Composites

Abstract

AbstractThe advantages of reinforcing metals with ceramic particles to produce metal matrix composites are well known. The behavior of discontinuously reinforced intermetallic compounds, however, has not been extensively studied. Martin Marietta Laboratories has produced a new generation of discontinuously reinforced titanium aluminide composites using a proprietary casting process known as XD™ technology. These new materials possess enhanced properties at room and elevated temperatures and may be cast, extruded, or forged. The effects of matrix composition, reinforcing phase, and thermal mechanical processing on properties have been studied using optical and various electron microscopy and mechanical and physical property measurement techniques to characterize the alloys. To date, most work has been done on a two-phased lamellar Ti-45 a/o Al alloy reinforced with TiB2 ceramic having an equiaxed morphology. Data on temperature dependence of the dynamic Young's modulus, coefficient of thermal expansion, deformation and fracture behavior, and microstructure are presented.