Polysynthetic twinned TiAl single crystals for high-temperature applications.
TiAl alloys are lightweight, show decent corrosion resistance and have good mechanical properties at elevated temperatures, making them appealing for high-temperature applications. However, polysynthetic twinned TiAl single crystals fabricated by crystal-seeding methods face substantial challenges, and their service temperatures cannot be raised further. Here we report that Ti-45Al-8Nb single crystals with controlled lamellar orientations can be fabricated by directional solidification without the use of complex seeding methods. Samples with 0° lamellar orientation exhibit an average room temperature tensile ductility of 6.9% and a yield strength of 708 MPa, with a failure strength of 978 MPa due to the formation of extensive nanotwins during plastic deformation. At 900 °C yield strength remains high at 637 MPa, with 8.1% ductility and superior creep resistance. Thus, this TiAl single-crystal alloy could provide expanded opportunities for higher-temperature applications, such as in aeronautics and aerospace.
Engineering Research Center of Materials Behavior and Design, Ministry of Education, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China.
Guang
G
Chen
Engineering Research Center of Materials Behavior and Design, Ministry of Education, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China.
Yingbo
Y
Peng
Engineering Research Center of Materials Behavior and Design, Ministry of Education, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China.
Gong
G
Zheng
Engineering Research Center of Materials Behavior and Design, Ministry of Education, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China.
Zhixiang
Z
Qi
Engineering Research Center of Materials Behavior and Design, Ministry of Education, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China.
Minzhi
M
Wang
Aviation Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on Materials Testing and Evaluation, Science and Technology on Advanced High Temperature Structural Materials Laboratory, Beijing Key Laboratory of Aeronautical Materials Testing and Evaluation, Beijing Institute of Aeronautical Materials, Beijing 100095, China.
Huichen
H
Yu
Aviation Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on Materials Testing and Evaluation, Science and Technology on Advanced High Temperature Structural Materials Laboratory, Beijing Key Laboratory of Aeronautical Materials Testing and Evaluation, Beijing Institute of Aeronautical Materials, Beijing 100095, China.
Chengli
C
Dong
Centre for Advanced Structural Materials, Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, CSE, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
C T
CT
Liu