Effects of Composition on Solidification Microstructure of Cast Titanium Alloys

Abstract

The high cost of processing of Ti alloys is an important limitation to their utilization in a number of applications. An approach to overcome such difficulties would be their processing by precision casting. The purpose of this work is to evaluate the centrifugal casting process of Ti-Cu and Ti-Nb alloys, analysing the influence of alloying element type and content in the obtained microstructure. Samples with different compositions were prepared in arc furnace with non-consumable tungsten electrode and water-cooled copper hearth under high purity argon atmosphere and cast in a copper mould. Microstructures were analysed by SEM, characterized by EDS and X-ray diffraction. Vickers hardness measurements helped the analysis of phases.