Analysis of Precipitation Control Process and Mechanical Properties of Ti-2Al-9.2Mo-2Fe Alloy

Ti-2Al-9.2Mo-2Fe (2A2F) alloy is a low-cost β-Ti alloy in which the expensive β-stabilizing elements (Ta, Nb, W, Ni) are replaced with relatively inexpensive Mo and Fe for use in low-cost applications in various industries. The 2A2F alloy exhibits excellent mechanical properties such as high specific strength and low elastic modulus compared to conventional steel alloys but is prone to brittleness owing to the formation of the ω phase when heat-treated at relatively low temperatures. Therefore, an appropriate aging treatment should be performed to control the precipitation of the isothermal ω phase and secondary α phase. This study aims to derive the appropriate aging-treatment conditions following a solution treatment at 790 °C for 1 h, which is below the β-transus temperature of 815 °C. The aging treatments are conducted at holding temperatures in the range of 450-600 °C and holding times between 1 and 18 h. At relatively low aging temperatures of 450 °C and 500 °C, the precipitation of the isothermal ω phase resulted in significantly high hardness and compressive strength. As the aging temperature and holding time increased, the ω phase gradually transformed into the secondary α phase, leading to a balanced combination of strength and ductility. However, at excessively high aging temperatures and prolonged durations, excessive precipitation and growth of secondary α phases occurred, which caused a reduction in hardness and compressive strength, accompanied by an increase in ductility. In this study, the effects of precipitation evolution on mechanical properties such as tensile strength and hardness under various heat treatment conditions were comparatively analyzed.