Hydrogen effect on compression mechanical properties of TiNb alloys at elevated temperatures

The study of this work was focused on the hydrogen effect on hot deformation behavior of hydrogen charged TiNb based alloys at three temperatures in comparison with non-charged specimens. The Ti24Nb and Ti26Nb (at.%) alloys were heat treated by three step regime in argon or hydrogen atmospheres. The hot compression tests were performed on a Gleeble 3800 machine at 800, 750 and 700 degrees C with compression strain of 5x10(-3) s(-1) and deformation degree of 50 %. The microstructure resulting from heat treatment as well as from isothermal compression test was analyzed using optical and scanning electron microscopies. Measurement of microhardness revealed that higher microhardness values for Ti24Nb after thermo-hydrogen treatment corresponded to fine grained microstructure and strengthening by grain boundaries. Hydrogen contents determined using LECO RH600 analyzer showed that Ti26Nb contained higher amount of hydrogen due to the stabilization of beta phase by higher Nb concentration. Based on the hot compression test results, the plasticity at elevated temperatures was evaluated. The evolution of uniaxial compressive test curves showed the stabilization of flow stress due to the hydrogen for high deformations at lower temperatures. The differences in hot compression behavior for both niobium contents on the one hand and for hydrogen charged and non-charged specimens on the other hand were observed.