Mechanical instability of the β-phase and the martensitic transformation in Ti-Nb (45, 50 wt%) alloys

It is shown that the electrical resistivity of single-phase quenched Ti-45 wt% Nb and Ti-50 wt% Nb alloys is subject to the general behaviour of quenched alloys with short free path lengths of conduction electrons. The singularities on the temperature and deformation curves of the resistivity are established and can be interpreted by the formation of α″-martensite. Using the criterion found here, we analyse the temperature and deformation dependences of the resistivity of commercial wire Ti-50 wt% Nb and show that α″-martensite forms in it during uniaxial tension below 100 K