Phase transformation and microstructure evolution in near- β Ti-7333 titanium alloy during aging

A newly near-β titanium alloy Ti-7Mo-3Cr-3Nb-3Al (Ti-7333) was subjected to β phase solution treatment and ageing in the present work. The characteristics of α phase transformation in ageing treatment were studied. Results show that isothermal aging at a low temperature (350°) will result in lots of ω particles with small size homogeneously distributing in the parent phase. These ω particles can act as nucleation sites for α phase and lead to the uniform precipitation of fine α phase within the β grain after further ageing treatment. However, when ageing at a higher temperature, the α phase tends to precipitate direct from the β matrix and the morphology of α phase is determined by the temperature and period of ageing treatment. After aging at 550°C for 5min, acicular α phase precipitates in the β grains as well as along β grain boundaries and the size and quantity of α phase increase with the holding time. Note that Ti-7333 alloy has a quick ageing response. When aging at 700°C for 1h, coarser α laths precipitate both on the grain boundary and within the grain. Increase the ageing temperature to 800°C, α phase precipitates within the β grain as short rod-like morphology. It is suggested that the driving force for α phase nucleation and the amount of defects in the intragranular decrease with the increasing of temperature, leading to the grain boundaries become the prior nucleation sites. Substantial α phase precipitate-free regions adjacent to β grain boundaries remained after ageing at 700°C for 1h due to the rejection of β-stabilizer from coarse α lath on β grain boundaries. Aging at 800° for 1h resulted in pronounced continuous α-films along β grain boundaries.