Processing and microstructural characterization of a Ti-Cr-Nb alloy synthesized by high-energy ball-milling

Ti-based body centered cubic (BCC) solid solutions are promising materials for hydrogen storage. These alloys are usually synthesized by melting processes and have large amounts of vanadium as alloying element to stabilize the BCC phase at room temperature. In this work high energy ball-milling was evaluated as processing route lor a Ti - based BCC solid solution. Moreover, the feasibility of Nb as stabilizer for the BCC phase is also investigated. The results show that the BCC phase is rapidly formed by ball-milling. After 2 hours of milling the alloy is mainly composed by BCC phase. Moreover, the time of milling must be limited in order to minimize the contamination with iron promoted by the wearing of milling balls and vials.