Plasticity and damage micro-mechanisms in a high-strength (α+β) titanium alloy

The deformation and damage mechanisms in (α+β) titanium alloys lead to plastic strain inhomogeneity at the micro-level, calling for extensive characterization efforts. For example, exhibiting a Burgers orientation relationship (BOR) between the BCC-structured retained β-phase (βr) and the HCP-structured transformed β-phase (βt), the transformed β-colonies have triggered interest in correlating slip activation and crystallographic characteristics. By studying a Ti-Al-V-Co-Sn alloy via integrated in situ SEM-based DIC and in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction, this presentation aims to address fundamental aspects of plasticity and damage in these complex microstructures. Broader indications for processing-microstructure-property correlations in cold-workable (α+β) titanium alloys will also be discussed.