Rolls-royce Corporation

Michael Loretto

Wayne Eric Voice

Xinhua Wu

Dawei Hu

Aijun Huang

A gamma titanium aluminide alloy consisting of 46 at % aluminium, 8 at % tantalum and the balance titanium plus incidental impurities has an alpha transus temperature Tbetween 1310&#xb0; C. and 1320&#xb0; C. The gamma titanium aluminide alloy was heated to a temperature T=1330&#xb0; C. and was held at T=1330&#xb0; C. for 1 hour or longer. The gamma titanium aluminide alloy was air cooled to ambient temperature to allow the massive transformation to go to completion. The gamma titanium aluminide alloy was heated to a temperature T=1250&#xb0; C. to 1290&#xb0; C. and was held at Tfor 4 hours. The gamma titanium aluminide alloy was air cooled to ambient temperature. The gamma titanium aluminide alloy has a fine duplex microstructure comprising differently orientated alpha plates in a massively transformed gamma matrix. The heat treatment reduces quenching stresses and allows larger castings to be grain refined.

Method of heat treating titanium aluminide

A component can be formed by a hot isostatic pressing (HIP) process but it is necessary to reinforce intricate internal structures against collapse and deformation by the hot isostatic pressing process. The present method utilizes a low melting point salt or alloy reinforcement within the structure which can be released when molten through a drain from the internal structure. The reinforcement may be molten as a result of the hot isostatic process or through achieving a temperature with the component which causes the reinforcement to become molten but without damaging the component itself. The remaining parts of the reinforcement may be removed by use of a solvent or simple washing with a corrosive agent to remove any reinforcement debris.

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Birmingham, United Kingdom

Michael Loretto