Stoichiometry Effects in TiAl and TiAlCr Alloys

Analytical electron microscopy methods have been used to establish correlations between lattice parameters and phase compositions in binary TiAl and ternary TiAlCr alloys based on Ti-48 at.%Al. On traversing the stoichiometric composition in the binary TiAl system the lattice parameters show linear relationships with Al concentration suggesting antisite defects influence the structural parameters. The relationship between lattice parameters and phase composition in the ternary TiAl(Cr) phase is influenced by the site occupation behavior of Cr in the TiAl lattice. Comparisons are made between "bulk" and "local" measurements for obtaining such information in complex two-phase alloys. Possible implications for the mechanical properties are briefly discussed.