Formation and Microstructure of Ultrafine-Grained Titanium Processed by Multi-Directional Forging

Ultrafine-grained titanium with uniform grain size for medical applications is obtained by multi-directional forging at 773 K in air. The microstructures and microtextures in the deformed titanium specimens are investigated by optical microscopy, electron backscattered diffraction technique, and transmission electron microscopy. Titanium specimen experience the recrystallization softening at cumulative strain about 1.2. After six passes with the cumulative strains of 2.4, the coarse grain sizes are gradually refined from about 25 mu m to about 0.2 mu m. New microtextures with recrystallized features generate in the specimens after multi-directional forgings. Grain boundaries in the specimens are geometrical necessary boundaries aiming to accommodate the imposed strain. It is suggested that the continuous dynamic recrystallization induced by deformation bands is responsible for the formation of ultrafine-grained titanium during multi-directional forging. Meanwhile the subdivision of grains by the mechanical twinning dramatically enhanced grain refinement to develop ultrafine-grained microstructure.