The influence of silver on the structure and mechanical properties of (TiAl)-based intermetallics

Abstract

The influence of silver on the structure and mechanical properties of sputter-deposited Ti-Al-Ag films with an aluminium content close to 48 at.% and 0 < at.% Ag < 3 was investigated. A new tensile test procedure has been developed to evaluate the ductility of the films. The results show that the as-deposited films are metastable formed, essentially, by an extended [alpha]-Ti solid solution. Annealing at 600°PC gives rise to the formation of [gamma]-TiAl intermetallic compound. Silver does not lead to structural modifications of the TiAl system nor influences significantly its ductility. However, a hardness increase of the as-deposited films with silver contents up to 1.6 at.% is observed.