Microstructure, Mechanical Properties, and Crack Propagation Behavior in High-Nb TiAl Alloys by Directional Solidification

Titanium aluminide (Ti-47Al-6Nb-0.1C) alloys were prepared using a cold crucible directional solidification technique with an input power range of 35 to 55 kW under a withdrawing velocity of 0.4 mm/min. The macro/microstructure was characterized, and the mechanical properties were evaluated. The results show that the directional solidification (DS) ingots exhibit β-solidification characteristics at an input power range of 35 to 55 kW, and a well-developed DS microstructure was acquired at an input power range of 40 and 45 kW. With the increasing input power, the lamellar spacing decreases, resulting in the increasing tendency in the average room-temperature yield strength. The steady-state creep rate strongly depends on the lamellar spacing, and the creep life depends on the DS microstructure. The well-developed DS alloy can significantly improve the creep properties but has little influence on the room-temperature tensile properties. Moreover, after testing the fracture toughness, the crack propagation showed interlamellar cracks, translamellar cracks, and intercolony boundary cracks that primarily propagated along the colony boundary after creep testing.