Deformation and Fracture Analysis of a Duplex γ-TiAl Alloy during Low Cycle Fatigue

Abstract

Isothermal low cycle fatigue (LCF) behaviours of a third generation titanium aluminide based γ-TiAl alloy with duplex microstructure were investigated under the various test conditions, including temperature (550°C-750°C), total strain amplitude (0.3%-0.6%) and environment (air and vacuum), in order to clarify the fatigue life, deformation characters and fracture process of the alloy during LCF. The plastic strain accumulation has a great contribution to LCF damage. With increasing total strain range, LCF life decreases distinctly. Under the small total strain amplitude (≤0.4%), the increase of test temperature enforces microstructure resistance to LCF fracture. However, the increase of test temperature together with large total strain amplitude (>0.5%) accelerates the microstructural degradation, which behaves the dissolution of α2 lamellae and recrystallization of γ phase, resulting in great LCF damage. Moreover, environment brittlement during high temperature exposure to air influences the initiation process of fatigue cracks. The fracture mechanisms at various test conditions were analyzed.