A Study on Variation of Microstructural Parameters in Titanium Alloys during near Superplastic Regime of Deformation

Deformation of Titanium alloys close to optimal superplastic condition i.e. near superplastic regime of deformation leads to significant change in microstructures.VT-9 titanium alloy was used in order to find out those parameters of microstructure which are varying significantly during near superplastic regime of deformation. Tensile tests were carried out at 930°C up to fracture with a constant strain rate of 5*10-4 s-1 and a jump wise varying strain rate of 1*10-4 s-1 & 5*10-4 s-1 .The microstructural parameters of both air-cooled and water quenched portion i.e. size of alpha phase, percentages of alpha phase and parameter of non-uniaxiality of alpha phase were found to change significantly during near superplastic regime of deformation. It has been found that in the near superplastic regime of deformation percentage of α-phase decreased from 90% to 13%. As the β-transus temperature of this alloy is 970°C, this significant change in percentage of α-phase is attributed to deformation induced phase transformation. Optical microscopes, micro Vickers hardness test, XRD, FESEM have been used to characterize the microstructure of the material.