Microstructure and properties of pure Ti processed by ECAP and cold extrusion

Equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) has been used to refine the grain size of commercially pure (CP) Ti as well as other metals and alloys. CP-Ti is usually processed at about 400°C because it lacks sufficient ductility at lower temperatures. The warm processing temperature limits the capability of the ECAP technique in improving the strength of CP-Ti. We have employed cold extrusion following warm ECAP to further refine the grains and improve the strength of CP-Ti. Ti billets were first processed for eight passes via ECAP route BC, with a clockwise rotation of 90° between adjacent passes. They were further processed by successive cold extrusions to an accumulative reduction in cross-section area by 47 or 75%. This paper reports the surface quality, microstructures, microhardness, tensile properties, and thermal stability of these Ti billets processed by a combination of ECAP and cold extrusion.