Influence of carbon on energetics, electronic structure, and mechanical properties of TiAl alloys

Abstract

We present first-principles calculations of carbon-doped TiAl alloys. The effect of carbon on the structural, electronic, and elastic behavior of the γ phase (L10 structure) of TiAl is investigated. The calculated enthalpy of formation at zero temperature indicates that carbon atoms favor to occupy rather interstitial than substitutional positions. The computed solubility of carbon in the stoichiometric γ phase is very low, in agreement with experimental findings. However, it is significantly enhanced for the Ti-rich alloy and when located inside Ti6 octahedra. Mechanical properties such as Cauchy pressure, elastic anisotropy, Young’s modulus, as well as Pugh and Poisson ratios of stoichiometric and off-stoichiometric compositions are analyzed as a function of carbon concentration and its location. As a general trend, we obtain that below a concentration of 3 at.%, carbon plays a minor role in changing the ductile behavior of γ-TiAl. A slight increase in ductility is found in the Ti-rich γα phase if either located in the Ti-plane (Ti4Al2 octahedral site) or in a Ti6 octahedra.

Electrons Meet Alloy Development: A γ‐TiAl‐Based Alloy Showcase

“…Small concentrations of interstitial C in γ were recently reported not to be responsible for the ductilization of the γ phase. [ 95 ] Mo was reported to increase both bulk and shear moduli of the phase. [ 50 ] Abdoshahi et al [ 96 ] calculated that Mo increases bulk modulus, whereas it decreases Young's modulus also for the ‐TiAl phase and concludes that Mo has a positive effect on the ductility of and β phases.…”