Deformation and failure behaviour of a titanium alloy Ti-407 with reduced aluminium content: A comparison with Ti-6Al-4V in tension and compression

Abstract

Abstract The titanium alloy Ti-407 (Ti407) is a new alloy being considered for single load to failure applications where energy absorption is a key requirement. This work characterised the deformation and failure mechanisms of Ti407 in uniaxial tension and compression at quasi-static and increased strain rates. The results are compared with equivalent tests on Ti-6Al-4\u202fV (Ti64) to provide a benchmark. The stress-strain data under each condition reveals reduced strength but significantly increased ductility in the Ti407 alloy compared to Ti64. The reduced aluminium content in Ti407 is thought to allow additional dislocation motion and delay crack initiation and propagation. The crystallographic texture analysis on deformed specimens further suggests that in response to an applied stress, Ti407 proves more sensitive to texturing and exhibits greater grain elongation and rotation in comparison to Ti64. Its ability to accommodate significantly more deformation before failure (than Ti64) will provide opportunities for improved impact energy absorption performance, as well as improved machinability and formability (and potentially lower manufacturing cost).