Understanding the Effect of Isothermal Heat Treatments on Microstructure of LMD-w Titanium Alloy (Ti-6242) - As-Built microstructure

Abstract: The most widely used titanium alloy in the hot sections of a jet engine is Ti-6Al-2Sn-4Zr-2Mo (Ti-6242) and with the technological advancements additive manufacturing (AM) of Ti-6242 is of great interest. Although, there is not much published related to additively manufactured Ti-6242. The project aimed to provide an experimental input for simulations of additively manufactured,laser metal deposited–wire (LMD-w) of Ti-6242. The main part of this project has been to experimentally study the effect of isothermal temperatures and holding times on the microstructural changes in as-built Ti-6242 on Ti-64 base-plate. The evaluation of micro-structural changes with isothermal temperature, holding time and cooling rates on Ti-6242 are quantified in terms of alpha laths, phase fraction by using MIPAR (image analysis software) and preliminary determine mechanical properties by performing hardness tests.The microstructures obtained through a process are highly dependent on the thermal history is it exposed to and the mechanical properties are determined by the microstructures present. In this thesis work the alpha lath thickness and the hardness of the material increases with increasing isothermal temperature. From the phase fractions obtained forthe heat treated samples an equilibrium phase diagram and a TTT diagram is plotted for as-built microstructure.