The α→ω and β→ω phase transformations in Ti–Fe alloys under high-pressure torsion

Abstract The formation of ω-phase under high-pressure torsion (HPT) has been studied in Ti–Fe alloys. Seven alloys with Fe concentration from 0 to 10 wt % have been annealed between 600 and 950 °C, quenched and HPT-treated at 7 GPa, 1 rpm, 5 and 0.1 anvil rotations (equivalent strain e eq  = 156 and = 3.1, respectively). The strain after 0.1 rot. corresponds to the transient state of HPT, and that after 5 rot. corresponds to the HPT steady-state and to the dynamic equilibrium between formation and annihilation of microstructure defects. A defect-rich high-pressure ω-phase forms after HPT and persists in the samples also after the pressure release. The amount of retained ω-phase after HPT depends on the iron concentration. It increases from 40% in pure titanium, reaches maximum of 95% at 4 wt % Fe and then decreases again to 10% at 10 wt % Fe. It is because the addition of iron influences the lattice parameters in β and ω-phases in a different manner. The minimal lattice mismatch between β- and ω-phases is reached at 4 wt % Fe. A good conformity between the lattices of the β- and ω-phases enhances the probability of the martensitic (diffusionless) β→ω transformation. Based on the XRD and TEM observations, the crystallography and mechanisms of α→ω and β→ω phase transformations (which can be diffusionless as well as controlled by mass transfer) under the influence of pure shear by HPT are discussed.