Rolling of Plates and Sheets from As-Cast Ti-6Al-4V-0.1B

Trace boron addition (~0.1 wt.%) to conventional titanium alloys reduces the as-cast prior-beta grain size by an order of magnitude to about 200 μm, a grain size typically observed after ingot breakdown. In this study, the feasibility of producing plate and sheet by hot rolling of as-cast Ti-6Al-4V-0.1B (wt.%) was evaluated. Starting from an initial thickness of 25 mm, as-cast Ti-6Al-4V-0.1B was successfully rolled to 2 mm sheet in a multistep rolling process. As-cast Ti-6Al-4V (without boron addition) rolled under similar conditions exhibited severe cracking. Tensile properties of the sheets and plates made from the boron-containing alloy met or exceeded AMS 4911 specifications for Ti-6Al-4V plates and sheets produced by conventional processing route. The process of making plate and sheet stock from cast titanium alloy ingots, without recourse to expensive ingot breakdown, can significantly reduce the number of expensive and time-consuming processing steps for making titanium alloy components, thereby enhancing the affordability and expanding the range of titanium applications.