Anisotropic and heterogeneous acoustoplasticity of α-Ti during ultrasonic vibration assisted compression: Modeling and experiments

Introducing ultrasonic vibration (UV) into the plastic deformation process is a promising and efficient way to improve the formability of metallic materials. However, the acoustoplasticity of alpha-Ti with pronounced anisotropic behavior during UV -assisted deformation is still not well understood, and the underlying mechanisms associated with the ultrasonic effect on multiple slip/ twinning systems remain ambiguous. In this research, the anisotropic and heterogeneous acoustoplasticity of alpha-Ti was investigated through modeling and experiments. A novel acoustic crystal plasticity model considering the anisotropic ultrasonic response of multiple slip/twinning systems was proposed, in which the ultrasonic softening is determined by the coupling effect of crystal orientation, mechanical threshold, and ultrasonic energy density. The proposed model was validated through the mechanical response of the UV -assisted compression and the twin volume fraction of alpha-Ti specimens along RD, TD, and ND directions. Full -field crystal plasticity simulations regarding UV -assisted compression were carried out. Then the mechanism of the acoustoplasticity of alpha-Ti was explored via the analysis of ultrasonic activation on multiple slip/twinning systems and the grain scale deformation behavior. A considerable anisotropic and heterogeneous ultrasonic softening effect of alpha-Ti was found, and the anisotropy as well as the magnitude of ultrasonic softening increase with the ultrasonic energy density. The ultrasonically activated deformation modes gradually change from prismatic slip and tensile twinning to basal slip and compressive twinning from RD, TD to ND specimens, which results in a higher average CRSS decrease and more pronounced ultrasonic softening macroscopically. The grain scale stress inhomogeneity of alpha-Ti is relieved under UV, and the local deformation and grain rotation are both enhanced. The dislocation motion and twinning behavior are both promoted by UV. The facilitated twinning behavior can be attributed to the enhanced dislocation assisted nucleation and propagation of deformation twins under UV. These findings provide a fundamental understanding of the anisotropic and heterogeneous acoustoplasticity of alpha-Ti during the UV -assisted deformation process.