Three regions of dislocation creep in in situ TiB fiber-reinforced α-titanium matrix composite

The steady-state creep behavior of metal matrix composites was analyzed via consideration of two accommodation processes, diffusion and plastic, which are inevitable for the materials to continue creep deformation. The creep experiments were performed using a model material, in situ TiB fiber-reinforced pure alpha-Ti matrix composite, which has a good interfacial bonding, a moderate diffusional-accommodation rate and no fine oxide dispersions. A sigmoidal curve of strain rate and stress relation in a double logarithmic plot was observed, indicating the presence of three deformation regions: plastic-accommodation-control region, diffusional-accommodation-control region and complete diffusional-accommodation region, at high, middle and low stresses, respectively. The activation energies in the three regions were close to those of volume, interface, and volume diffusion of alpha-Ti, respectively.