How elaborate in situ experiments guide modern alloy development

Description

Intermetallic titanium aluminide alloys based on the ordered γ-TiAl phase are promising materials for lightweight high-temperature applications. In addition to their low density of roughly 4 g·cm^-3, their high specific Young’s modulus and strength even at elevated temperatures, and their good oxidation and burn resistance, especially their excellent creep properties make these alloys a material of choice for challenging structural applications. Following intensive research and development activities, γ-TiAl based alloys have recently entered service in the automotive and aircraft engine industries, e.g. as low-pressure turbine blades in environment-friendly jet engines, as engine valves in sports and racing cars, or as turbocharger turbine wheels. In the course of the past decades, the development of these complex multi-phase alloys has benefited greatly from the application of in situ synchrotron X-ray techniques. Diffraction and scattering techniques, in particular, have offered access to the atomic structure of the material and provided insights into a variety of microstructural parameters. Advanced experimental setups, which are steadily refined, have even allowed the exploration of elaborate manufacturing processes and yielded insights that have so far been inaccessible by means of conventional methods. Here, a practical introduction and overview of recent progress in this field of research are provided. Current prospects at modern synchrotron radiation sources will be illustrated by means of selected case studies pertaining to different stages in the development of modern γ-TiAl based alloys (i.e., fundamental research, manufacturing, and fine-tuning of properties for application). In this context, available setups for in situ high-energy X-ray diffraction and small-angle X-ray scattering experiments will be discussed in terms of their advantages as well as their limitations.

Period	15 Jun 2023
Event title	7th International Workshop on Titanium Aluminides
Event type	Conference
Location	Toulouse, FranceShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International