Method for producing homogeneous fine grain titanium materials suitable for ultrasonic inspection

Abstract

A titanium material production method for producing homogeneous fine grain titanium material in which the titanium material has a grain size in a range from about 5 μm to about 20 μm. The method comprises providing a titanium material blank; conducting a first heat treatment on the titanium material blank to heat the titanium material blank to a β-range; quenching the titanium material blank from the β-region to the α+β-region; forging the titanium material blank; and conducting a second heat treatment on the titanium material blank. The titanium material production method subjects the titanium material blank to superplasticity conditions during part of the titanium material production method.

1 . A titanium material production method for producing homogeneous fine grain titanium material in which the titanium material has a grain size in a range from about 5 μm to about 20 μm, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a titanium material blank;   conducting a first heat treatment on the titanium material blank to heat the titanium material blank to a β-range;   quenching the titanium material blank from the β-region to the α+β-region;   forging the titanium material blank; and   conducting a second heat treatment;   wherein the titanium material production method subjects the titanium material blank to superplasticity conditions during the titanium material production method.   
   
   
       2 . A titanium material production method according to  claim 1 , the titanium material production method comprising heating the titanium material blank to a temperature in a range from about 600° C. to about Tpt, wherein Tpt is a polymorphous transformation temperature for the titanium material. 
   
   
       3 . A titanium material production method according to  claim 1 , the step of providing a titanium material blank comprises providing a titanium material blank formed by powder metallurgy processes. 
   
   
       4 . A titanium material production method according to  claim 1 , wherein the titanium material production method produces titanium material comprising generally equiaxed titanium grains and generally equally sized titanium grains. 
   
   
       5 . A titanium material production method according to  claim 1 , wherein the titanium material production method produces titanium material comprising 
   
   
       6 . A titanium material production method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing a providing a titanium material blank comprises providing a two-phase titanium material blank. 
   
   
       7 . A titanium material production method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of conducting a first heat treatment on the titanium material blank to heat the titanium material blank to a β-range comprises heating at about 1200° C. for about 1 hour. 
   
   
       8 . A titanium material production method according to  claim 1 , wherein the titanium material production method comprises heating the titanium material blank to a temperature in a range from about 875° C. to about 1200° C. 
   
   
       9 . A titanium material production method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of forging comprises deforming the titanium material blank in a isothermal press. 
   
   
       10 . A titanium material production method according to  claim 9 , wherein the step of deforming comprises multiple steps of deforming. 
   
   
       11 . A titanium material production method according to  claim 1 , wherein the titanium material production method produces titanium material with a grain size in a range from about 15 μm to about 20 μm. 
   
   
       12 . A titanium material production method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of forging comprises at least one of: roll-forming, deformation in a press, and forging in a square. 
   
   
       13 . A titanium material production method according to  claim 11 , wherein the step of forging comprises multiple steps of deforming. 
   
   
       14 . A titanium material production method for producing homogeneous fine grain titanium material in which the titanium material has a grain size in a range from about 15 μm to about 20 μm, generally equiaxed titanium grains and generally equally sized titanium grains, and substantially even distribution of second phase particles and alloying elements; the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a titanium material blank, the titanium material comprising a two-phase titanium material;   conducting a first heat treatment on the titanium material blank to heat the titanium material blank to a β-range;   quenching the titanium material blank from the β-region to the α+β-region;   forging the titanium material blank; and   conducting a second heat treatment on the titanium material blank,   wherein the titanium material production method subjects the titanium material blank to superplasticity conditions during part of the titanium material production method, the titanium material production method comprising heating the titanium material blank to a temperature in a range from about 600° C. to about Tpt, wherein Tpt is a polymorphous transformation temperature for the titanium material.