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Indentation size effect in 2nd and 3rd generation advanced intermetallic TiAl alloys: theoretical and experimental estimation of dislocation density

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Abstract

The present study focuses on characterizing the mechanical properties of as-cast and heat-treated 2nd and 3rd generation intermetallic TiAl alloys, which is of practical importance considering its application in the aerospace and automobile industries. Assessing the small-scale properties is crucial for such applications. Indentation size effect (ISE) for TiAl alloys is thoroughly examined using the instrumented nanoindentation technique. It is noted that ISE of TiAl alloys is significantly influenced by the composition, microstructure, and prior deformation characteristics of the system. Prominent ISE is noted for the 3rd generation alloys, as compared to the 2nd generation ones. Theoretical estimations show hardness as a function of geometrically necessary dislocations (GNDs) and statistically stored dislocations. The distribution of GNDs beneath the indentation volume is also experimentally validated. The pre-strained alloys show a lesser extent of ISE and higher bulk hardness owing to the occurrence of preexisting dislocations and twins. The initiation of plasticity at the nanoscale is also dictated by the inherent dislocation characteristics of the alloys. Lower pop-in loads are noticed for pre-strained alloys that are related to the heterogeneous nucleation of dislocations. Overall, this comprehensive study on ISE establishes a correlation between microscopic and bulk hardness and further unravels the distinctive deformation mechanism, active at different length scales from nano to bulk region.

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Acknowledgements

Authors gratefully acknowledge DMRL, Hyderabad, for supplying the TiAl pancakes. Authors sincerely thank the Central Research Facility of IIT Kharagpur for providing the required research facilities. Funding for the project by DRDO via ERIP/ER/DG- NSM/990916704/M/01/1743 is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721302, India

    Prekshya Nath & Indrani Sen

  2. Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory, Hyderabad, 500058, India

    Amit Bhattacharjee

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  1. Prekshya Nath
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  3. Indrani Sen
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Contributions

PN contributed to conceptualization, methodology, data curation, formal analysis, investigation, writing—original draft, and writing—review and editing. AB contributed to funding acquisition, project administration, resources, supervision, and writing—review and editing. IS contributed to funding acquisition, project administration, resources, supervision, and writing—review and editing.

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Correspondence to Indrani Sen.

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Nath, P., Bhattacharjee, A. & Sen, I. Indentation size effect in 2nd and 3rd generation advanced intermetallic TiAl alloys: theoretical and experimental estimation of dislocation density. J Mater Sci 59, 3066–3086 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-023-09320-7

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