Deformation behavior and microstructural evolution during hot compression of an α+β Ti-6.5Al-3.5Mo-1.5Zr-0.3Si alloy

The effect of processing parameters on the flow response and microstructural evolution of the α+β titanium alloy Ti-6.5Al-3.5Mo-1.5Zr-0.3Si has been studied by conducting isothermal hot compressive tests at a strain rate of 0.01–10 s−1 at 860–1100°C. The true stress-true strain curves of the sample hot-compressed in the α+β phase region exhibit a peak stress followed by continuous flow softening, whereas in the β region, the flow stress attains a steady-state regime. At a strain rate of 10 s−1, the alloy exhibits plastic flow instabilities. According to the kinetic rate equation, the apparent activation energies are estimated to be about 674–705 kJ/mol in the α+β region and 308–335 kJ/mol in the β region, respectively. When deformed in the α+β region, the globularization process of the α colony structure occurs, and α dynamic recrystallized microstructures are observed to show bimodal. Dynamic recrystallization can take place in the β region irrespective of starting deformed structures.