Modification of microstructure and mechanical properties for twin-wire directed energy deposition-arc fabricated Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb alloys via current regulation

Considering the advantages of low density and excellent high-temperature performance, titanium aluminide is identified as an ideal aerospace structural material. In recent years, twin-wire directed energy deposition-arc (TW-DED-arc), which possesses the characteristics of low cost but high deposition efficiency, has continuously attracted worldwide attention. However, obtaining equiaxed grains with small Al variation for titanium aluminide using TW-DED-arc method is still a key concern. In the present research, Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb alloy with equiaxed lamellar colonies and less than 1 at.% of Al content was successfully fabricated by regulating deposition current of TW-DED-arc. Also, the effect of deposition current on microstructure and mechanical properties was systematically investigated. The experimental results that focus on top and middle regions of as-fabricated TiAl4822 alloys, indicate that increasing current favors in generation of equiaxed grains and gamma lamellae, which leads to columnar to equiaxed transition and higher gamma phase content, respectively. Also, elemental homogeneity can be significantly homogenized. As deposition current increases, tensile strength increases while degree of tensile anisotropy decreases significantly, benefiting from the equiaxed grains with satisfying size. Importantly, microstructure evolution, tensile anisotropy and fracture characteristics of TW-DED-arc fabricated TiAl-4822 alloys are discussed in detail. Generally, these findings provide an effective process method to optimize microstructure and mechanical properties of TW-DED-arc fabricated TiAl-4822 alloys.