Role of processing parameters in the development of tri-modal microstructure during isothermal local loading forming of TA15 titanium alloy

It is critical to precisely control the tri-modal microstructure during the isothermal local loading forming of titanium alloy to obtain high-performance components. To this end, the effect of local loading processing parameters on the development of tri-modal microstructure were experimentally investigated. The key influence factors and laws are revealed as follows. In the first loading step, the deformation temperature plays a decisive role in the volume fraction of equiaxed alpha, which decreases with the increase of temperature. While, the deformation amount and cooling mode present little effects on the microstructure evolution. In the second loading step, the deformation temperature and amount mainly influence the volume fraction, spatial orientation distribution and globularization of lamellar alpha. The volume fraction of lamellar alpha increses with the temperature decreasing. The spatial orientation distribution of lamellar alpha gradually changes from homogeneous distribution to concentrated distribution with the increase of deformation amount. Besides, the dynamic globularization fraction of lamellar alpha producing in the second loading step increases with the deformation amount, and their relationship can be well fitted by Avrami type equation. Moreover, higher temperature in the second loading step is beneficial to decrease the critical strain for the initiation of dynamic globularization and promote the kinetic rate of dynamic globularization. On the other hand, the deformation amount of the second loading step has after-effects on the static globularization of lamellar alpha in the annealing treatment. If the deformation amount exceeded the critical strain for the initiation of dynamic globularization, the static globularization of lamellar alpha would produce in the annealing, and the static globularization fraction increases with the deformation amount of the second loading step. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.