Dissimilar-alloy laser welding of titanium: Ti6Al-4V to Beta-C{trademark}
Beta-C{sup TM} is a metastable-beta titanium alloy (nominal composition: Ti-3wt%Al-8wt%V-6wtTCr-4wt%Mo-4wt%Zr) which can be thermomechanically processed and heat treated to provide excellent combinations of strength, ductility, and fracture toughness. Recently, the increased application of metastable-beta titanium alloys in aerospace and commercial applications has resulted in the necessity to join these alloys to conventional alpha-beta titanium alloys. Based on this previous work, two approaches were considered for improving the ductility of dissimilar-alloy welds between Ti-6Al-4V and Beta-C{sup TM} in the present study: (1) application of a low heat input welding process to minimize the fusion zone and heat-affected zone (HAZ) beta grain size and (2) modification of the fusion zone chemical composition to allow greater microstructural optimization through postweld aging. CO{sub 2} laser welds were produced between Ti-6Al-4V and Beta-C{sup TM} sheet. Three different nominal fusion zone chemical compositions were obtained by varying the laser beam locations relative to the joint centerline and thereby melting different quantities of each base metal. For comparable postweld aging conditions, the laser welds exhibited ductilities superior to those of coarse-grained gas tungsten arc welds. Fracture analysis of the weld zone revealed a transition from a predominantly transgranular fracture in the low-temperature aged conditions to increasingly intergranular fracture following aging at higher temperature. This transition was promoted by an increase in the thickness and continuity of alpha phase at beta grain boundaries.
- OSTI ID:
- 115479
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9404233--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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