Reduction in anisotropy of mechanical properties of Ti-6Al-4V through martensite decomposition

Orientation induced anisotropic hardness and modulus of Ti-6Al-4V alloy has been minimized through microstructural engineering. This involves the formation of martensite upon quenching and further its decomposition facilitated by cold deformation and low temperature heat treatment. The martensite (α′) formed from the β phase has nearly equal distribution of multiple variants in the form of fine laths. After decomposition, this transforms to fine equiaxed β along the lath boundaries of α, instead of a thin lamellar β. The variations in the nano-indentation derived hardness and modulus are much smaller compared to the reported literature and is attributed to the fine nature and morphology of the constituent phases. © 2021 Elsevier B.V.