Unveiling the impact of heat treatment on powder-metallurgy α+β titanium alloy for achieving a superior strength-ductility combination

The present study investigated the effects of heat treatment (solid solution and aging treatments) on the microstructure and mechanical properties of a hot-rolled α+β Ti-3Al–5Mo–4.5V (TC16) produced through blended elemental powder metallurgy (BEPM) process using master alloy hydrogenation (MAH) approach. After solid solution treatment, metastable martensite α'' phase and athermal ω phase were formed. Aging treatment facilitated decomposition of metastable phases and precipitation of αs particles. Dispersion strengthening, resulting from the formation of a significant amount of α/β interfaces between fine secondary αs particles and β matrix, played a decisive role in enhancing the strength of the TC16 alloy. However, elevated aging temperatures promoted the coarsening of αs particles, leading to a reduction in the strengthening effect. A systematic investigation of the effects of the solid solution and aging treatments enabled the evolution of a bimodal microstructure with the precipitation of fine αs particles, contributing to an outstanding combination of strength and ductility. The ultimate tensile strength reached 1424.6MPa with an elongation at break of 7.7%, while the hardness reached 380.2HV.