Effect of Si Content on the Creep Properties of Ti-6Al-4Fe-xSi Alloys

Abstract

Effect of silicon content on the creep properties of Ti-6Al-4Fe-xSi was studied. Creep resistance of Ti-6Al-4Fe-xSi alloys was superior to that of Ti-6Al-4V. Ti-6Al-4Fe-0.5Si alloy exhibited the highest rupture strength and creep resistance among the Ti-6Al-4Fe-xSi alloys investigated. The minimum creep rate of the alloys decreased with increasing silicon content up to 0.5wt.% and then it increased again when the silicon content was higher than 0.5wt.%. TiFe precipitates were formed mainly at the β phase area of Ti-6Al-4Fe-xSi alloys by consuming titanium and iron in β phase, when the alloys were thermally exposed at 500 and 600°C during the creep test. During the creep test, microvoids were induced at the TiFe/α phase interfaces and the cracks were formed along the TiFe/α phase interfaces by the coalescence of the voids. Those cracks were finally connected each other through the α phase.