Role of alloying elements in microstructures of beta titanium alloys with carbon additions

The effect of 0.2 wt-%C on the microstructure of beta titanium alloys Ti-15X(Fe, Cr, Mn, Mo, Ni, Co, Cu, and V) has been studied using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. It has been found that coarse eutectic TiCx tends to be formed in beta titanium alloys containing Fe, Cr, Mo, and Mn, and relatively finer homogeneous TiCx is formed in alloys containing V, Ta, Co, Ni, or Cu. The volume fraction of TiCx in alloys containing Cu, Co, and Ni is much less than that in other beta titanium alloys. The oxygen content of the matrix is lower than that of Ti2C in Cr or alloys containing Mn and higher than that of Ti2C in alloys containing Mo or Ni. These observations are discussed in terms of the role of phase diagrams and the effect of atomic radius of alloying elements on the dimension of interstitial sites in the host alloy and the sublattice of TiCx. (C) 2003 IoM Communications Ltd. Published by Maney for the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining.