Investigation of Long-Term Exposure Effects Under Stress of Two Titanium Structural Alloys
SourceNotched and unnotched sheet specimens of two titanium alloys, Ti-6Al-4V and Ti-8Al-1Mo-1V, were exposed at 650 F and stressed by a cantilever arrangement to 25 to 30 per cent of their yield stress. Specimens were tested for periods up to 20,000 hr as received, coated with salt, coated with a silver brazing alloy, and coated with a silver brazing alloy and salt. A fifth set was prepared like the last but was exposed cyclically to furnace atmosphere for two-week periods and then in a humidity cabinet at 100 F for two weeks. Specimens were studied by optical microscopy, electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Electron microscopy indicates that cracking is primarily intergranular, but transgranular cracks are possible. X-ray diffraction studies show that titanium chloride and sodium titanate are absent from the corrosion products. Silver braze coatings cause rapid surface deterioration. There is a complete loss of adhesion between braze and parent material after a few thousand hours exposure.