Sintering behavior of mechanically alloyed Ti-48Al-2Nb aluminides

Ti-Al intermetallics have been produced using mechanical alloying technique. A composition of Ti-48Al-2Nb at % powders was mechanically alloyed for various durations of 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 h. At the early stages of milling, a Ti (Al) solid solution is formed, on further milling the formation of amorphous phase occurs. Traces of TiAl and Ti3Al were formed with major Ti and Al phases after milling at 40 h and beyond. When further milled, phases of intermetallic compounds like TiAl and Ti3Al were formed after 80 hours of milling and they also found in 100 h milled powders. The powders milled for different durations were sintered at 785°C in vacuum. The mechanically alloyed powders as well as the sintered compacts were characterized by XRD, FESEM and DTA to determine the phases, crystallite size, microstructures and the influence of sintering over mechanical alloying.