Embrittlement of an Orthorhombic Ti2AlNb-Based Titanium Alloy in a Hydrogenated State

A rapidly quenched intermetallic VTI-4 titanium alloy, which is based on the orthorhombic Ti2AlNb phase and is formed by extraction from a molten hanging drop, has been hydrogenated. The phase composition and the microhardness of the alloy saturated to various hydrogen contents are studied. To study the opportunities of producing a fine alloy powder, fibers are ground in a ball mill. The alloy in the rapidly quenched β single-phase state is found to exhibit a high plasticity and is not fragmented upon ball milling, and sharp fiber embrittlement is observed as the alloy is saturated to a high hydrogen content (0.88 wt %). In this hydrogenated state, the alloy has a high hardness and its phase composition consists of the hydrogen-rich Ti2AlNb phase.