ENHANCING THE MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES OF TITANIUM-ALLOYS WITH RAPID HEAT-TREATMENT

This article shows that a significant improvement in the mechanical pr operties of high-strength titanium alloys can be reached by using a sp ecial heat treatment based on vapid heating into the beta-field. Such a treatment allows the production of a high-temperature beta-phase wit h a fine-grained microstructure and optimal chemical inhomogeneity, wh ich strongly determines the mechanism and kinetics of phase transforma tions on cooling and further annealing or aging. A wide range of final microstructures with an enhanced combination of mechanical properties can be obtained.