Titanium Aluminides

A Critical Review and Technology Assessment

April 2003

Table of Contents
List of Figures ......................................................................................................................vii
List of Tables .......................................................................................................................viii
1.0

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................ 1

2.0

INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................... 3

2.1
Need for Lightweight, High Temperature Alloys........................................................................... 3
2.1.1
Gas Turbine Engines..................................................................................................................... 3
2.1.2
Hot Structure/Thermal Protection ............................................................................................... 5

3.0
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
3.7

4.0

THE TITANIUM-ALUMINUM SYSTEM........................................................... 10

Alpha () ............................................................................................................................................13
Beta ()................................................................................................................................................14
Alpha-2 ( 2, Ti3Al) .............................................................................................................................15
Gamma (, TiAl) ................................................................................................................................15
Tau (, TiAl3) and other Aluminides..............................................................................................16
Titanium-Aluminum-Niobium Ternary Phases...........................................................................16
Benefits and Shortfalls of Titanium Aluminides..........................................................................18

GAMMA-TITANIUM ALUMINIDES () ............................................................ 21

4.1
Understanding the and Near- Alloys .........................................................................................21
4.1.1
Phases and Microstructures of the -Alloy System ..................................................................21
4.1.2
Deformation in Alloys .............................................................................................................23
4.2
Alloying ............................................................................................................................................25
4.2.1
Substitutional Alloying Elements in Single-Phase and Two-Phase Alloys ............................25
4.2.2
Interstitial Alloying Elements in Single-Phase and Two-Phase Alloys ..................................27
4.2.3
Mechanical Alloying,..................................................................................................................28
4.3
Processing through Tailoring Microstructure and Properties of Alloys...............................28
4.3.1
Heat Treating...............................................................................................................................29
4.3.2
Casting.........................................................................................................................................29
4.3.3
Rolling.........................................................................................................................................29
4.3.4
Forging ........................................................................................................................................30
4.3.5
Powder Metallurgy......................................................................................................................30
4.3.6
Extrusion .....................................................................................................................................31
4.3.7
Superplastic Forming..................................................................................................................31
4.3.8
Utilizing Processing Methods to Affect Properties ..................................................................31

5.0

ALPHA-2 TITANIUM ALUMINIDES................................................................. 33

5.1
Understanding 2 Alloys ..................................................................................................................33
5.2
2 Alloying ..........................................................................................................................................34
5.2.1
Substitutional Alloying...............................................................................................................37
5.2.2
Interstitials as Alloying Elements and Impurities.....................................................................37
5.2.3
Mechanical Alloying of 2.........................................................................................................39
5.2.4
Dispersion Hardening of 2 .......................................................................................................40
5.3
Processing Effects on Microstructures and Properties...............................................................41
5.3.1
Casting.........................................................................................................................................42
5.3.2
Forging ........................................................................................................................................42

AMPTIAC
5.3.3
5.3.4
5.3.5

6.0

Extrusion .....................................................................................................................................42
Superplastic Deformation/Diffusion Bonding ..........................................................................43
How Processes Affect Microstructure and Properties..............................................................43

COMPOSITES .......................................................................................................... 46

6.1
Fabrication Techniques for Intermetallic Matrix Composites..................................................46
6.1.1
Powder Cloth Processing............................................................................................................46
6.1.2
Foil-Fiber-Foil Processing..........................................................................................................47
6.1.3
Thermal Spray Processing..........................................................................................................48
6.2
Constituent Materials .......................................................................................................................49
6.2.1
Matrix Choice..............................................................................................................................49
6.2.2
Fibers ...........................................................................................................................................50
6.2.3
Fiber Coatings.............................................................................................................................52
6.3
Particulate Reinforced Composites................................................................................................54

7.0

SUPPORT TECHNOLOGIES................................................................................ 56

7.1
Coatings..............................................................................................................................................56
7.1.1
Oxidation/Emittance/Catalytic Efficiency Coatings.................................................................56
7.1.2
Hydrogen Barrier Coatings ........................................................................................................60
7.1.3
IHPTET Research .......................................................................................................................60
7.2
Joining/Welding.................................................................................................................................61
7.2.1
Joining/Welding 2 Titanium Aluminides ................................................................................62
7.2.2
Joining/Welding Titanium Aluminides ..................................................................................65

8.0

SUMMARY................................................................................................................ 70

REFERENCES..................................................................................................................... 72

vi

Titanium Aluminides
A Critical Review and Technology Assessment
April 2003

List of Figures
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6
Figure 7
Figure 8
Figure 9
Figure 10
Figure 11
Figure 12
Figure 13
Figure 14
Figure 15
Figure 16
Figure 17
Figure 18
Figure 19
Figure 20
Figure 21
Figure 22
Figure 23
Figure 24
Figure 25
Figure 26
Figure 27
Figure 28
Figure 29
Figure 30
Figure 31
Figure 32
Figure 33
Figure 34
Figure 35
Figure 36
Figure 37
Figure 38
Figure 39
Figure 40

Gas Turbine Engine Anatomy.......................................................................................................... 4

IHPTET Titanium Aluminide Components..................................................................................... 5
Titanium-Aluminum Phase Diagram.............................................................................................11
Disputed Region of the Ti-Al Phase Diagram...............................................................................12
Hexagonal Slip Planes ....................................................................................................................13
Widmansttten Microstructure.......................................................................................................14
DO22 Lattice Structure of TiAl 3......................................................................................................16
Ternary Ti-Al-Nb Phase Diagram..................................................................................................17
High Titanium Content Portion of the Ti-Al-Nb Phase Diagram ................................................18
Micrograph and graphical depiction of the single-phase ? microstructure ..............................22
Micrograph and graphical depiction of the duplex microstructure..............................................22
Micrograph and graphical depiction of the fully lamellar microstructure. .................................23
Slip Systems in TiAl .......................................................................................................................24
Application of a stress to the perfect crystal..................................................................................24
Crystal structure of Ti 3Al ( 2) phase .............................................................................................34
Pseudo-Binary Diagram of 2-Nb Ternary System ......................................................................35
General Types of Microstructures Found In 2 Alloys ................................................................36
Mechanical Alloying Times Required for Phase Formation in Ti-24Al-1Nb Alloys.................40
A 3-Ply SiC/Ti-14Al-21Nb Powder Cloth Composite.................................................................47
An 8-Ply SiC/Ti-15V-3Cr-3Sn-3Al Foil-Fiber-Foil Composite..................................................48
An 8-Ply SiC/Ti-6Al-2Sn-4Zr-2Mo Plasma-Sprayed Composite ...............................................49
CTEs of Fiber Reinforcements and Titanium Aluminide Matrices.............................................51
SCS-6 (SiC) Fiber Reinforced (2+)-alloy (Ti-24Al-11Nb).....................................................53
An Example of XD TiB2 Particulate Reinforced -TiAl...........................................................55
Results of Varying Coating Thicknesses on the Fatigue of an TiAl Coating Containing 10wt.%
Si on an 2 Titanium Aluminide ....................................................................................................58
Oxidation Tests on Ti-14Al-21Nb Performed at 1800F (Uncoated Sample at 1832F)...........58
Spectral Emittance of Al-SiBx Coated vs. Uncoated Ti-14Al-21Nb (1800F Test)..................59
Total Emittance of 2 and Titanium Aluminides (1800F Test)...............................................59
Catalytic Efficiency of 2 and Titanium Aluminides.................................................................60
Light Micrograph of Weld-Heat-Affected Zone in a Resistance Spot Welded Ti-Al ................62
Schematic of Laser Beam Welding Process..................................................................................63
Two 2 Sheets Joined by Diffusion Bonding................................................................................64
Two 2 Sheets Joined by Brazing with a TiCuNi Foil.................................................................64
Effect of Spot Welding on Titanium Aluminide Composites ......................................................65
Typical Transverse Cracks in Titanium Aluminide...................................................................66
Scanning Electron Fractographs of Crack Surfaces......................................................................66
Light Micrograph of Weld-Heat-Affected Zone of Gas Tungsten-Arc Welded Ti-Al ..............67
Pressure/Time Curves for Diffusion Bonding of .......................................................................68
Light Micrograph of Weld-Heat-Affected Zone of Laser Welded Titanium Aluminide...........69
A Braze Joint Between 2 Sheets of Ti-46.5Al-4(Cr-Nb-Ta)-0.1B Alloy with TiCuNi Braze. .69

vii

AMPTIAC

List of Tables
Table 1
Table 2
Table 3
Table 4
Table 5
Table 6
Table 7
Table 8
Table 9
Table 10
Table 11
Table 12
Table 13
Table 14
Table 15
Table 16
Table 17

Contents of AMPTIAC Product AMP 267 ..................................................................................... 2

NASP Materials Needs ..................................................................................................................... 8
Summary of the Primary Ti-Al Phases ..........................................................................................12
Key Property Comparison ..............................................................................................................18
Effect of Microstructure on Mechanical Properties of TiAl alloys..............................................23
Microstructure Drives Properties in -Base Alloys.......................................................................23
Common and Near- Alloys ........................................................................................................25
Substitutional Alloying Elements in -Based Alloys....................................................................26
Interstitial Alloying Elements in -Based Alloys..........................................................................27
Common 2 and 2+ Alloys.........................................................................................................36
Interstitial Effects of Elements in 2 Titanium Aluminides.........................................................37
Summary of Thermal Exposure and Gaseous Hydrogen Effects on Mean Tensile Properties in
Air (Tested at Ambient) for 2 (Ti-25Al-10Nb-3V-1Mo)...........................................................39
Thermomechanical Processing Sequences for 2+ Alloys.........................................................41
Microstructures And Mechanical Properties for Common 2+ Alloys Processed by Various
Thermomechanical Processes.........................................................................................................43
Coating/Titanium Aluminide Combinations Initially Evaluated .................................................57
Candidate Hydrogen Barrier Coatings...........................................................................................60
Candidate Coatings/Substrate Combinations Tested ....................................................................61

viii