Effect of stress-induced α″ martensite on Youngʹs modulus of β Ti–33.6Nb–4Sn alloy

The effect of stress-induced α″ martensite on Youngʹs modulus was investigated by cyclic tensile tests, optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis to determine the low Youngʹs modulus of severely rolled or swaged, unstable β Ti alloys. An unstable β Ti–33.6%Nb–4%Sn alloy and a stable, slightly Nb-rich Ti–36%Nb–4%Sn alloy used as a reference were groove rolled and swaged after hot-forging. The groove rolling and swaging of Ti–33.6Nb–4Sn rods formed a fiber structure composed of 〈010〉α″ and 〈110〉β textures along the rolling direction, and stress-induced α″ martensite was stabilized by groove rolling, swaging and cyclic tensile deformation. Almost completely stabilized α″, which was attained by a 91% reduction in rod diameter via rolling followed by swaging, exhibited linear behavior in the initial stage of a stress–strain curve. Nb-rich Ti–36Nb–4Sn rods that were 91% rolled and swaged showed 〈110〉β textures and linear behavior. From the slope of the linear portion of the stress–strain curves, Youngʹs moduli along the rolling/swaging direction were determined to be 40 GPa for Ti–33.6Nb–4Sn and 48 GPa for Ti–36Nb–4Sn. Assuming that the rule of mixture is applicable to 91% rolled/swaged Ti–33.6Nb–4Sn with volume fractions of 0.81 for α″ and 0.19 for β, a low Youngʹs modulus of 38 GPa was calculated for the 〈010〉 orientation of α″ martensite. It is concluded that the fiber texture development of 〈010〉α″ and 〈110〉β with a low modulus is responsible for the low Youngʹs modulus in rolled or swaged, unstable Ti–33.6Nb–4Sn.