Deoxidation of titanium aluminide by Ca-Al alloy under controlled aluminum activity

Abstract

Removal of oxygen in titanium aluminide (TiAl) by chemically active calcium-aluminum (Ca-AI) alloy was carried out around 1373 K with the purpose of obtaining extra-low-oxygen TiAl. The deoxidation experiments were preceded by an investigation of the phase equilibria of the system Ti-Al-Ca at 1273 and 1373 K. The compositions of the Ca-AI alloy deoxidant, which equilibrates with TiAl, and the experimental conditions suitable for the deoxidation were of particular interest. In experiments in which Ti-Al samples were submerged in liquid Ca-AI alloys at 1373 K, the surfaces of the samples severely deteriorated and became nodular. When TiAl powders were mixed with CaO and the deoxidant was supplied in vapor form, powders which initially contained 510, 1100, and 4200 ppm O were deoxidized to about 160, 490, and 670 ppm O after deoxidation at 1373 K in 86.4 ks (1 day). Among many conditions tested, the use of TiAl powders mixed with CaCl₂ was most effective for deoxidation at 1373 K. CaCl₂ was used as a flux to facilitate the deoxidation by decreasing the activity of the deoxidation product CaO. In the case that TiAl powders mixed with CaCl₂ and reacted with Ca-AI vapor at 1373 K for 86.4 ks, the powders initially containing 510, 1100, and 4200 mass ppm O were deoxidized to a level of 62, 140, and 190 mass ppm O, respectively. No significant change in morphology of the particle after deoxidation was observed. The titanium and nitrogen concentrations in the powders remained constant, whereas calcium, which was present only in trace amounts initially, increased up to 160 mass ppm after the deoxidation treatment.