Cost Breakthrough in Titanium Production as a Commodity Metal

The lightweight intermetallic Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb and its modifications are potential candidates for applications in aerospace systems and automobiles because of their low density, high elastic modulus and high temperature properties. The major barrier to wide spread use of the Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb alloy is the ambient lack of “forgiveness” (ductility, fracture toughness etc). A secondary concern is excessive grain growth at high temperature when present as single phase. The forgiveness can be enhanced by reducing the occurrence of intragranular fracture by reducing the grain size to nanometer scale, thereby constraining the cracks within the small grains preventing extensive propagation. Mechanical alloying is an effective means of reducing the grain size of Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb alloy powder to nanometer scale.

   20 mm

SEM Pictures of As-Received Ti-48-2-2 Alloy Powder