High-strength discontinuosly-reinforced titanium matrix composites and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

The method for manufacturing high-strength discontinuously-reinforced titanium matrix composite comprises the following steps: (a) preparing a basic powdered blend containing the matrix alloy or titanium powders having a particle size <250 μm for 95% of the powder and powders, which reinforcing matrix during high-temperature operations, such as blended elemental reinforcing powders, ceramic powders, intermetallic powders, and/or powders of complex carbide- and/or boride particles that are at least partially soluble in the matrix, (b) preparing reinforcing powders by co-attrition, mechanical alloying, or pre-sintering of blended elemental powders with each other and graphite, (c) mixing the basic powdered blend with the Al-V master alloy powder, and co-attrited, mechanically-alloyed powders, and pre-sintered powders in the predetermined ratio to obtain a chemical composition of titanium matrix composite material, (d) compacting the powder mixture at room temperature by any of room temperature consolidation process, (e) sintering at the temperature providing at least partial dissolution of dispersing ceramic and/or intermetallic powders, (f) high-temperature deformation at the temperature range of 1500-2300° F. resulting in additional in-situ formation of re-enforced particulates, and (g) cooling.

1 . A method for manufacturing a high-strength discontinuously-rein (breed titanium matrix composite material comprising the following steps:
 (a) preparing a basic powdered blend containing a matrix alloy or titanium powders having a particle size less than 250 μm for 95% of the powder, and a mixture of the same titanium powder with a master alloy creating an alloyed titanium matrix, and powders which reinforce matrix during sintering or forging operations such as ceramic powders, intermetallic powders, and powders of complex carbide- and boride particles that are at least partially soluble in the matrix during the sintering, forging, or other high temperature operations, such as at least one AlV 2 C, AlTi 2 Si 3 , AlTi 6 Si 3 , AlTi 4 Si 7 , Al 3 B 48 Si, VB 2 , V 3 B 2 , V 3 B 4 , TiVSi 2 , TiVB 4 , Ti 2 AlC, Ti 3 AlC, AlCr 2 C, TiAlV 2 , (Ti,V)C, (Ti,V)(B,C), V 2 C, V 4 C 3 , VSi 2 , Ta 3 B 4 , Ta 3 B 2 , Ti 2 Al(B,C), TaTiB 4 , NbTiB 4 , and Al 3 U 2 C 3 ,   (b) preparing reinforcing powders by co-attrition, mechanical alloying, or pre-sintering and grinding of elemental metal powders and graphite,   (c) co-attrition of the basic powdered blend (a) with the Al-V master alloy powder or mechanically-alloyed powders in the predetermined ratio to obtain a chemical composition of titanium matrix composite material,   (d) consolidating at room temperature the powder mixture containing incompletely-formed reinforcing particles by cold isostatic pressing, die pressing, direct powder rolling, or other processes.   (e) sintering at a temperature providing at least partial dissolution of dispersing ceramic and/or intermetallic powders to form the reinforcing particle system after cooling.   (f) high-temperature deformation (forging, rolling, hot pressing, hot isostatic pressing, and/or others) in a temperature range of 1500-2300° F.,   (g) cooling.   
     
     
         2 . The method for manufacturing a high-strength discontinuously-reinforced titanium matrix composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein the ceramic and intermetallic hard particles dispersed in the matrix are selected from the group consisting of SiC, TiB. TiB 2 . Ti 3 B 4 , Ti 2 B 4 C, ZrC, ZrB 2 , TaC, TaB, TaB 2 , Ta 3 B 2 , B 4 Si, VB, V 2 B, WC, NbC, NbB, Nb 3 B 2 , Nb 3 B 4 , Al 4 C 3 , Al 4 C 3 , AlB 2 , TiAl, Ti 3 Al, TiAl 3 Al 8 V 5 , VC, Cr 7 C 3 , HfC, UC, U 2 C 3 , and TiCr 2 . 
     
     
         3 . The method for manufacturing a high-strength discontinuously-reinforced titanium matrix composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein the basic powdered blend is prepared in the form of elemental powder blend or combination of elemental powders, graphite, and prealloyed powders blend. 
     
     
         4 . The method for manufacturing a high-strength discontinuously-reinforced titanium matrix composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein co-attrition or mechanical alloying of reinforcing elemental powders is carried out with a partial addition of the master alloy in an amount up to 30 wt. % of the weight of reinforcing powders. 
     
     
         5 . The method for manufacturing a high-strength discontinuously-reinforced titanium matrix composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein mechanical alloying is carried out with different dispersion effects, i.e. attrition for different time to create a particular particle size distribution of reinforcing particles. 
     
     
         6 . The method for manufacturing a high-strength discontinuously-reinforced titanium matrix composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein boron and carbon powders are preliminary reacted with aluminum or aluminum-vanadium master alloy at 800-1100° C., then obtained pre-sintered cake is ground in powder and added into the initial mixture of composite material components. 
     
     
         7 . The method for manufacturing a high-strength discontinuously-reinforced titanium matrix composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein boron carbide and boron silicide powders are preliminary reacted with titanium powder at 1200-1400° C., then obtained pre-sintered cake is ground in powder and added into the initial mixture of composite material components. 
     
     
         8 . The method for manufacturing a high-strength discontinuously-reinforced titanium matrix composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein titanium boride and silicon carbide powders are preliminary reacted with aluminum or aluminum-vanadium master alloy at 900-1100° C. then obtained pre-sintered cake is ground in powder and added into the initial mixture of composite material components. 
     
     
         9 . The method for manufacturing a high-strength discontinuously-reinforced titanium matrix composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein carbon powder is introduced in amount of up to 30 wt. % in the basic powder blend, whereby the carbon is in the form of graphite, black carbon, or pyrolytic carbon. 
     
     
         10 . The method for manufacturing a high-strength discontinuously-reinforced titanium matrix composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein the sintering is carried out at a temperature of 2300° F. (1260° C.) and higher to provide complete densification and provide oversaturated solid solution that will result in a formation of coherent reinforced carhidic and/or intermetallic particles in the matrix alloy during the cooling. 
     
     
         11 . The method for manufacturing a high-strength discontinuously-reinforced titanium matrix composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein hot pressing, hot isostatic pressing, or hot rolling are carried out after sintering in any combination. 
     
     
         12 . The method for manufacturing a high-strength discontinuously-reinforced titanium matrix composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein the resulting composite material is characterized by density over 98% of theoretical value and discontinued porosity after sintering that makes it possible forging, hot pressing, hot isostatic pressing, or hot rolling without any special protective coating, encapsulating, or canning. 
     
     
         13 . The method for manufacturing a high-strength discontinuously-reinforced titanium matrix composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein the resulting composite material after step (e) has discontinued porosity and density over 98% of theoretical value. 
     
     
         14 . The method for manufacturing a high-strength discontinuously-reinforced titanium matrix composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein a near-net shape state after forging, hot pressing, hot isostatic pressing, or hot rolling is performed without any special protective coating, encapsulating, or canning, and without finishing of final product by machining and/or chemical milling. 
     
     
         15 . A method for manufacturing a high-strength discontinuously-reinforced titanium matrix composite material comprising the following steps:
 (a) preparing a basic powdered blend containing a matrix alloy or titanium powders having a particle size less than 250 μm for 95% of the powder, or a mixture of the same titanium powder with a master alloy creating an alloyed titanium matrix, and powders which reinforce matrix during sintering or forging operations such as ceramic powders, intermetallic powders, or powders of complex carbide- and boride particles that are at least partially soluble in the matrix during the sintering, forging, or other high temperature operations, such as at least one of AlV 2 C, AlTi 2 Si 3 , AlTi 6 Si 3 , AlTi 4 Si 7 , Al 3 B 48 Si, VB 2 , V 3 B 2 , V 3 B 4 , TiVSi 2 , TiVB 4 , Ti 2 AlC, Ti 3 AlC, AlCr 2 C, TiAlV 2 , (Ti,V)C, (Ti,V)(B,C), V 2 C, V 4 C 3 , VSi 2 , Ta 3 B 4 , Ta 3 B 2 , Ti 2 Al(B,C), TaTiB 4 , NbTiB 4 , and Al 3 U 2 C 3 .   (b) preparing reinforcing powders by co-attrition, mechanical alloying, and pre-sintering and grinding of elemental metal powders and graphite,   (c) co-attrition of the basic powdered blend (a) with the Al-V master alloy powder and mechanically-alloyed powders in the predetermined ratio to obtain a chemical composition of titanium matrix composite material,   (d) consolidating at room temperature the powder mixture containing incompletely-formed reinforcing particles by cold isostatic pressing, die pressing, direct powder rolling, or other processes.   (e) sintering at a temperature providing at least partial dissolution of dispersing ceramic and/or intermetallic powders to form the reinforcing particle system after cooling,   (f) high-temperature deformation (forging, rolling, hot pressing, hot isostatic pressing, and/or others) in a temperature range of 1500-2300° F.   (g) cooling.   
     
     
         16 . The method for manufacturing the high-strength discontinuously-reinforced titanium matrix composite material according to  claim 15 , wherein boron or carbon powders are preliminary reacted With aluminum or aluminum-vanadium master alloy at 800-1100° C. then the obtained pre-sintered cake is ground in powder and added into the initial mixture of composite material components. 
     
     
         17 . The method for manufacturing the high-strength discontinuously-reinforced titanium matrix composite material according to  claim 15 , wherein titanium boride or silicon carbide powders are preliminary reacted with aluminum or aluminum-vanadium master alloy at 900-1100° C., and then obtained pre-sintered cake is ground in powder and added into the initial mixture of composite material components.