Cyclic deformation mechanisms in a cast gamma titanium aluminide alloy

The present study tackles the issue of the identification of the deformation mechanisms governing the cyclic stress–strain behaviour of a cast Ti–48Al–2Cr–2Nb (numbers indicate at.%) with a nearly fully lamellar microstructure. At room temperature, this behaviour and the corresponding deformation mechanisms are shown to be strongly dependent on the applied strain range. Indeed, at low strain range, where almost no hardening is noticed, deformation occurs by motion of long and straight ordinary dislocations. The moderate hardening observed at intermediate values of the strain range is associated with the formation of a vein-like structure due to the progressive tangling of ordinary dislocations. Finally, at higher strain-range values, twinning, by delaying the formation of this vein-like structure, induces a more pronounced cyclic strain hardening. At high temperature (750 °C), the material exhibits a rapid saturation of the stress amplitude, regardless of the applied strain range. Transmission electron microscopy indicates that twinning is no longer operative at this temperature, but that dislocation climb is activated.