High-temperature mechanical properties and deformation behavior of high Nb containing TiAl alloys fabricated by spark plasma sintering

A high Nb containing TiAl alloy was prepared from the pre-alloyed powder of Ti-45Al-8.5Nb-0.2B-0.2W-0.02Y (at%) by spark plasma sintering (SPS). Its high-temperature mechanical properties and compressive deformation behavior were investigated in a temperature range of 700 to 1050°C and a strain rate range of 0.002 to 0.2 s−1. The results show that the high-temperature mechanical properties of the high Nb containing TiAl alloy are sensitive to deformation temperature and strain rate, and the sensitivity to strain rate tends to rise with the deformation temperature increasing. The hot workability of the alloy is good at temperatures higher than 900°C, while fracture occurs at lower temperatures. The flow curves of the samples compressed at or above 900°C exhibit obvious flow softening after the peak stress. Under the deformation condition of 900–1050°C and 0.002–0.2 s−1, the interrelations of peak flow stress, strain rate, and deformation temperature follow the Arrhenius’ equation modified by a hyperbolic sine function with a stress exponent of 5.99 and an apparent activation energy of 441.2 kJ·mol−1.