Effects of process parameters on the microstructure during the hot compression of a TC6 titanium alloy

The effects of process parameters on the microstructural evolution, including grain size and volume fraction of the α phase during hot forming of a TC6 alloy were investigated using compression tests. Experiments were conducted on the material with (α+β) phases at deformation temperatures of 800, 860, 920, and 950°C, strain rates of 0.001, 0.01, 1, and 50 s, and height direction reductions of 30%, 40%, and 50%. After reaching a peak value near 920°C, the grain size and volume fraction decrease with further increase of deformation temperature. The swain rate affects the morphologies and grain size of α phase of the TC6 titanium alloy. At a lower strain rate, the effect of the strain rate on the volume fraction is greater than that at a higher strain rate under the experimental conditions. The effects of the strain rate on the microstructure also result from deformation heating. The grain size of the α phase increases with an increase in height direction reduction after an early drop. The effe