MICROSTRUCTURE AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OFP/M TiAl ALLOYS AND THE TEMPERATURE EFFECT

Two intermetallic compounds of Ti-50at.% Al and Ti-48at.% Al-2at.% Cr were prepared with a mechanical alloying and pulse discharge sintering process. The as-sintered material showed a microstructure of equiaxed gamma grain with sub-micron size. Heat treatments in vacuum at different temperatures up to 1573K were conducted on the sintered materials. The microstructure of the material coarsened considerably after heat treatment at temperatures higher than 1523K. The mechanical properties of the as-sintered and the heat treated materials were measured at temperatures of up to 973K, with four-point bending tests. Experimental results indicated that the addition of Cr increased the fracture strength of the intermetallic compound at room temperature and at elevated temperatures as well. The bending fracture strength increased with increasing testing temperature up to about 873K and a decreasing followed up. Both fracture strength and fracture strain of the material were found to be improved by heat treatment.