Structural-Phase State of UFG-Titanium Implanted with Aluminum Ions

Abstract

Transmission electron microscopy investigations were carried out to study the structural-phase state of ultra-fine grain (UFG) titanium with the average grain size of ~0.2 μm, implanted with aluminum ions. Implantation was carried out on MEVVA-V.RU ion source at room temperature, exposure time of 5.25 h and ion implantation dosage of 1⋅1018 ion/cm2. UFG-titanium was obtained by a combined multiple uniaxial compaction with rolling in grooved rolls and further annealing at 573 К for 1h. The specimens were investigated before and after implantation at a distance of 70-100 nm from the specimen surface. Concentration profile of aluminum implanted with α-Ti was obtained. It was revealed that the thickness of implanted layer was 200 nm, while maximum aluminum concentration was 70 at.%. Implantation of aluminum into titanium has resulted in formation of the whole number of phases having various crystal lattices, like β-Ti, TiAl3, Ti3Al, TiC and TiO2. The areas of their localization, the sizes, distribution density and volume fractions were determined. Grain distribution functions by their sizes were built, and the average grain size was defined. The paper investigates the influence of implantation on the grain anisotropy factor. It was revealed that implantation leads to the decrease in the average transverse and longitudinal grain size of α-Ti and decrease in the anisotropy factor by three times. The yield stress and contributions of separate strengthening mechanisms before and after implantation were calculated. The implantation has resulted in increase in the yield stress by two times.