CA3062762A1 - Titanium alloy-based sheet material for low- temperature superplastic deformation - Google Patents

Abstract

Herein disclosed includes the manufacture of sheets from a titanium alloy having a chemical composition efficiently balanced with manufacturability based on known conventional manufacturing techniques for finished products exhibiting low temperature superplastic forming properties. The result is achieved by a sheet material for low temperature superplastic made of titanium alloy with the following content of element by % wt.: 4.5-5.5A1, 4.5-5.5V, 0.1-1.0Mo, 0.8-1.5Fe, 0.1-0.5Cr, 0.1-0.5Ni, 0.16-0.250, remainder is titanium and residual elements and having molybdenum structural equivalent [Mo]eqiv. > 5 and aluminium structural equivalent [Al]equiv. < 8; the equivalent values are calculated from the expressions:
[Mo]eqiv. =[Mo]+[V]/1.5+[Cr] x1.25+[Fe] x2.5+[Ni]/0.8 [Al]eqiv. =[A1]+[O] x10+ [Zr]/6. Dependent claim 4, Table 8.

Description

TITANIUM ALLOY SHEET MATERIAL
FOR LOW TEMPERATURE SUPERPLASTIC FORMING
Field of the Invention.
The invention relates to sheet materials (semi-products) made of titanium alloys which are suitable for product fabrication by the method of low temperature superplastic forming (SPF) at a temperature of 775 C and can be used as a cheaper option to sheet semi-products made of Ti-6A1-4V
alloy.
Prior State of Art.
The term superplastic forming is generally applicable to a process in which a material (alloy) is being superplastically formed under exceeded conventional limit of plastic strain (over 500%). SPF may be applied to certain materials exhibiting superplastic properties within the limited ranges of temperatures and strain rates. For example, titanium alloy sheets are normally able to undergo superplastic forming (deformation) within the temperature range of about (900 to 1010) C at the strain rate of about 3.104 s-1.
From a production point of view, as a result of decrease in forming temperatures at SPF, significant advantages are gained. For example, decrease in SPF forming temperature may result in reduction of die cost, increase of its life and potentially lead to introduction of less expensive steel dies. Additionally, formation of oxygen-rich layer (alpha case) and scale is being mitigated, thus product yield is improved and the requirement of chemical etching is eliminated. Additionally, lower deformation temperatures may restrain grain growth, at that the advantage of finer grains presence after completion of SPF operations is retained.
There are two approaches to improvement of superplastic forming capability of sheet material from titanium alloys. The first approach involves developing special-purpose thermomechanical processing to produce fine grains with sizes just between 2 p.m and 1 p.m and finer, thus resulting in enhancement of grain boundary sliding. In particular, there is a known method of manufacture of sheet for deformation at the temperature lower than that of conventional product forming from Ti-6A1-4V material (Patent RF No. 2243833, IPC B21B1/38, published 10.01.2005).
The second approach involves developing of new system of titanium alloy sheet materials exhibiting superplasticity at coarser material granularity because of:
- enhancement of two phase volume fraction and morphology, - faster diffusion process which speeds up grain boundary sliding due to content of, i.e., Fe and Ni in the alloy as fast diffusers.
- lower beta transus temperature (BTT).
Thus, in case of efficient selection of an alloy chemical makeup it is possible to obtain satisfactory superplastic forming (deformation) properties at low temperature without any use of special-purpose processing techniques required for ultrafine grains formation.

2 Two-phase (a+13)-titanium alloys, depending on the level of alloying elements addition, are classified as alloys having molybdenum structural equivalent ¨ [Mo]equiv. ¨ equal to 2.5 up to 10 %. (Kolachev B.A., Polkin I. S., Talalayev V.D. Titanium alloys of various countries: Reference book. Moscow. VILS. 2000. 316 p. ¨ p. 13-16). Such alloys are usually being alloyed with aluminium and 13-stabilizers to retain 13-phase. The amount of 13-phase may vary from 5% to 50% in as-annealed alloys belonging to this group. Therefore mechanical properties change over relatively wide range. These alloys got widespread use in both Russia and foreign countries, in particular, Ti-6A1-4V alloy due to successful addition of alloying elements. (Materials Properties Handbook: Titanium Alloys.
R.Boyer, G. Welsch, E. Collings. ASM International, 1998. 1048 p. ¨ p.
486-488). In this alloy, aluminium increases strength and heat resisting properties and vanadium is rated among the few elements that increase not only strength properties, but also improve plasticity. Alloys belonging to Ti-6A1-4V group are used to produce bars, tubes, sections, open- and close-die forgings, plates, sheets, strips and foil. They are used for fabrication of welded and prefabricated structures in airborne vehicles, a number of aviation and rocketry structural components, as well as for fabrication of medical implants to be applied in traumatology, orthopedics and odontology.
There is a known method of manufacture of titanium alloy sheet semi-products suitable for low temperature superplastic forming from VT5 alloy which is an analog of Ti-6A1-4V alloy (Patent RF No. 2224047, IPC

3 C22F1/18, B21B3/00, published 20.02.2004). The method allows to manufacture titanium alloy sheet semi-products having uniform submicrocrystalline structure (grain size is below 1 !Am) suitable for low temperature superplastic forming. The method is expensive, low-efficient and requires availability of special-purpose equipment.
Ti-6A1-4V alloy has been known to have submicrocrystalline structure produced by severe plastic deformation (SPD) with the use of all-round forging technique and exhibiting superplastic properties. The alloy microstructure is defined by a- and f3-phase grains and subgrains having io average size of 0.4 p.m, high level of crystal lattice internal stresses and elastic distortions as evidenced by non-uniform diffraction contrast and high density of dislocations on images of the structure obtained by electron microscopy. (S. Zherebtsov, G. Salishchev, R. Galeyev, K.
Maekawa, Mechanical properties of Ti-6A1-4V titanium alloy with submicrocrystalline structure produced by severe plastic deformation. //
Materials Transactions. 2005; V. 46(9): 2020-2025). To manufacture sheet semi-products from this alloy, non-intensive and low-cost SPD operations with the use of all-round forging technique are required that significantly increase finished product value.
There is a known method of manufacture of thin sheets from two-phase titanium alloy and for fabrication of products out of said sheets. The method involves manufacture of sheet semi-products from the alloy with the following content of element by % wt.: 3.5-6.5 Al, 4.0-5,5 V, 0.05-1.0 Mo, 0.5-1.5 Fe, 0.10-0.2 0, 0.01-0.03 C, 0.005-0.07 Cr, 0.01-0.5 Zr,

4 0.001-0.02 N, remainder is titanium; at that chemical composition is adjusted with the values of aluminium [Al]etgru.i, = 6.0 ¨ 11.55 and molybdenum [Mo]:tgru.iv. = 3.5 ¨ 5.6 strength equivalents (Patent RF No.
2555267, IPC C22F1/18 B21B3/00, published 10.07.2015) ¨ prototype.
Sheet semi-products with the thickness of <3 mm manufactured against said patent are not suitable for industrial production due to low stability of properties required for SPF. The reason is that the use of strength equivalents as adjusters of the alloy chemical composition does not allow to adjust the required and appropriate relations between alloying elements in the alloy and structural properties of the alloy required for performance of SPF operations with sheet semi-products. Besides that, presence of Si and Zr in the alloy which form silicides on grain surfaces hindering intergranular sliding and resulting in process instability.
The object of this invention is manufacture of (a+f3)-titanium alloy sheet material with the ability to low temperature superplastic forming with the grain size exceeding 2 pm. This sheet material exhibits stable properties and is a cheaper option to sheet semi-products made of Ti-6A1-4V alloy with finer grains.
A technical result that is being achieved at practical implementation of the invention is manufacture of sheets from titanium alloy having chemical composition efficiently balanced with manufacturability based on known conventional manufacturing techniques for finished products exhibiting low temperature superplastic forming properties.

5 Detailed Description.
Said technical result is achieved by sheet material for low temperature superplastic forming is made of titanium alloy with the following content of element by % wt.: 4.5-5.5A1, 4.5-5.5V, 0.1-1.0Mo, 0.8-1.5Fe, 0.1-0.5Cr, 0.1-0.5Ni, 0.16-0.250, remainder is titanium and residual elements and having molybdenum structural equivalent [Mo]eqiv.
> 5 and aluminium structural equivalent [Al'equiv. < 8; the equivalent values are calculated from the expressions:
[Mo]eqiv. =[Mo]+[V1/1.5+[Cr] x1.25+[Fe] x2.5+[Ni]/0.8 [Al]eqiv. =[A1]+[0] x10+ [Zr]/6.
Sheet material for low temperature superplastic forming has the structure consisting of grains with the size below 8 m .
Sheet material for low temperature superplastic forming exhibits superplastic properties at a temperature of 775 10 C.
Sheet material for low temperature superplastic forming at a temperature of 775 10 C exhibits a/P phase ratio from 0.9 to 1.1.
Sheet material for low temperature superplastic forming with the amount of alloying elements diffusible between a¨ and 13¨ phases during SPF process equal to 0.5% minimum and which is determined from the relation:
Q = Z7-1 1 Ami ? 0.5 % wt.
where:
Q ¨ amount of diffusible alloying elements in the material during SPF, %
wt.

6 n ¨ amount of alloying elements in the material, ILlm I ¨ absolute variation value of alloying element content in 13- and a¨ phases, % wt. during SPF process.
I Ami ¨ is calculated from the formula:
IA/7/1 = (mfll ¨ mal) ¨ (m/32 ¨ ma2), % wt.
where:
m131 ¨ content of alloying element in 13-phase before SPF, % wt., m132 ¨ content of alloying element in 13-phase after SPF, % wt., mai ¨ content of alloying element in a-phase before SPF, % wt., io ma2 ¨ content of alloying element in a-phase after SPF, % wt.
The provided sheet material exhibits a set of high processing and structural properties. This is achieved by efficient selection of alloying elements and their ratio in the material alloy.
Group of a ¨ stabilizers.
Aluminium which is used in substantially all commercial alloys is the most efficient strengthener that improves strength and heat resisting properties of titanium. If an alloy contains less than 4.5% of aluminium, the required strength of such alloy is not achieved; if aluminium content is above 5.5%, an adverse decrease of plasticity occurs as well as BTT
increase.
Oxygen increases the temperature of titanium allotropic transformation. Presence of oxygen within the range between 0.16% to 0.25% increases strength and does not have significant negative impact on plasticity.

7 Group of 1 ¨ stabilizers which are presented in the provided invention (V, Mo, Cr, Fe, Ni) are widely used in commercial alloys.
Vanadium in the amount of 4.5% to 5.5%, iron in the amount of 0.8% to 1.5% and chromium in the amount of 0.1% to 0.5% increase the alloy strength and have almost no negative impact on plasticity.
Introduction of molybdenum ranging between 0.1% to 1.0% ensures its complete dissolution in a-phase, thus the required strength properties are achieved with no negative impact on plastic properties.
The provided alloy contains iron in the amount of 1.0% to 1.5% and io nickel in the amount of 0.1% to 0.5% which are the most diffusible p-stabilizers that have a positive impact on intergranular sliding at SPF.
Among structural factors having impact on SPF efficiency, the first to be distinguished is the size of grain which is not to exceed 8 m (experimental data) for the provided material.
It is known that superplastic flow of material is considerably occur due to phase transformations in two-phase titanium alloys provided that a/13 phase ratio at SPF temperature is close to 1 (Kaibyshev 0.
Superplastic properties of commercial alloys. Moscow. Metallurgy. 1984.
p. 179-218.). This facilitates formation of equiaxial structure which contributes to intergranular sliding. The driving force of structural spheroidizing is the trend of surface energy degradation. The growth of intergranular boundary due to increase of p- phase results in change of surface energy level at the intergranular boundary that, in its turn, results in activation of spheroidizing. In order to have the required amount of 3-

8 phase during SPF process at a/P ratio close to 1, the value of molybdenum structural equivalent [Mo]equiv. shall be greater than 5 and the value of aluminium structural equivalent [Al]equiv. shall not exceed 8. Besides that aluminium equivalent value above that stated above results in BTT
increase and consequently to increase of SPF temperature.
Optimum temperature to effect superplastic properties of the provided material equals 775+10 C. Exceeding of this temperature results in grain growth, and lower temperature results in decrease of diffusion processes intensity thus interfering with SPF process.
The amount of alloying elements diffusible between a¨ and f3¨
phases shall not be less than 0.5%. This is due to the fact that activation energy of grain-boundary diffusion is less than activation energy of volume diffusion and diffusion transport of atoms is being carried out at grain boundaries. Those areas of grain boundaries being influenced by is normal tension stress exhibit increased concentration of vacancies.
Those areas being influenced by compressive stress exhibit less concentration of vacancies: resulting difference in concentrations causes direct diffusion of vacancies. Since migration of vacancies involves interchange with atoms, the latter will move in opposite direction thus causing intensification of intergranular sliding.
The nature of the invention is explained with drawings.

9 Brief Description of the Drawings.
Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 show the alloys structure in initial condition, Fig. 3, Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 ¨ loading curves obtained during SPF, Fig. 6 ¨ true stress vs. strain curve at strain degree of 0.2 and 1.1 (in longitudinal direction) depending on [Mo]equiv.
Detailed Description and Typical Exemplary Embodiment.
For investigation purposes sheet semi-products having thickness of 2 mm were used. To manufacture sheet material six experimental alloys of io various chemical compositions given in Table 1 were melted.
2 mm thick sheet materials manufactured against known method of manufacture and intended for superplastic forming, before being tested for superplastic properties, were subject to annealing at a temperature of 720 C during 30 minutes and subsequent air cooling. After said processing is steps were completed, samples were taken from the sheets in longitudinal and transverse direction for tensile strength testing at room and elevated temperatures, then the samples were subject to typical testing at room temperature to determine strength, elastic and plastic properties.

Table 1. Chemical Composition of Sheet Materials under Investigation Heat Chemical Composition [Al]equiv [Mo]equiv No. Al Mo V Cr Fe Ni 0 top 5.42 0.31 4.92 0.18 0.87 0.017 1 bott 0.152 6.83 6.03 5.2 0.34 4.69 0.16 0.76 0.017 om top 4.05 0.11 4.09 0.12 0.85 0.017 2 bott 0.147 5-54 5.19 4.09 0.1 4.04 0.11 0.76 0.016 om top 5.03 0.42 5.06 0.28 1.25 0.017 3 bott 0.140 6-39 7.26 4.95 0.36 4.87 0.23 1.14 0.017 om top 5.13 0.43 5.15 0.27 1.24 0.30 4 bott 0.160 6.66 7.67 4.99 0.41 4.9 0.24 1.14 0.29 om top 5.07 0. 5.18 0.27 1.26 0.02 0.146 6.54 6.93 bott 001 . 0 5.09 4.96 0.24 1.11 0.018 om 5 top 5.18 0.42 5.06 0.01 1.22 0.016 6 bott 0.138 6-53 6.89 5.12 0.38 4.79 0.012 1.13 0.018 om Evaluation of material structure in initial condition (Figure 1 and 5 Figure 2) showed that the structure is similar to equiaxial structure and predominantly consists of alternating grains of a- and 1 - phases that look like darker (cc) or lighter (3) elements. It should be noted that with increase of [Mo]equiv in the alloy, volume fraction of 3-phase grain tends to increase from estimated a/I3 ratio of 2/1 in Alloy 2 up to the value approaching to 1/1 in Alloy 3 and Alloy 4. Average size of phase grains measured on microstructure photographs by intercept method tends to some increase with the increase of [Mo]equiv. and is within the range of 2.8 to 3.8 pm (minimum grain size is determined for Alloy 2). It should be noted that grain structure of Material 1 in initial condition is less uniform compared with other experimental alloys. Besides equiaxed grains, Material 1 demonstrates areas consisting of sufficiently bulk elongated grains. It also can be noted that morphology of 13-phase varies in some way from alloy to alloy. Alloy 2 has minimum amount of alloying elements and I3-phase is predominantly located as individual groups between a-phase particles; but beginning from Alloy 5 13-phase has definite coherency and besides grain texture it is shaped as relatively thin io layers between a-phase grains. With [Mojequiv. increase, these layers tend to thickening.
Comparative analysis of material structure in wrought (reduced section) and unwrought (head area) conditions after SPF (at a temperature of 775 C and strain rate of 3x10-4s-1, longwise the sheet) showed that deformation in reduced section induces some grain growth compared with almost unwrought head as well as evolution of conglomerates from a- and 13-phase grains of more complex shapes.
Evaluation of grain size showed that addition of alloying elements does not significantly affect the size of phase grains in alloys with maximum addition of 13-stabilizers and it ranges between 3.5 0.5 p.m (unwrought section) and 4 0.5 pm (wrought section). At the same time in case of Alloy 2 with minimum content of alloying elements, size of grains in reduced section increases almost twice up to 5 m and greater compared with initial condition.

By method of electron microprobe analysis (EMPA) distribution of alloying elements between a¨ and 13 ¨phases was examined in the materials under investigation in initial condition and after testing of superplastic properties; the examination was performed on wrought reduced section and heads of longitudinal specimens, the results are given in Tables 2, 3 and 4.

Table 2. Average Chemical Composition of a-phase (% wt.) in Sheet Materials after Various Processing based on EMPA results Initial Condition Alloy Al Ti V Cr Fe Ni Mo 2 4.17 93.00 2.74 0.00 0.10 0.00 0.00 1 5.71 90.79 3.35 0.00 0.15 0.00 0.00 6 5.28 89.48 4.33 0.00 0.65 0.00 0.27 6.03 91.67 2.31 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 3 5.45 90.77 3.78 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 4 5.54 91.01 3.21 0.00 0.24 0.00 0.00 Reduced Section after SPF in Longitudinal Direction Alloy Al Ti V Cr Fe Ni Mo 2 4.32 93.35 2.22 0.00 0.11 0.00 0.00 1 5.72 91.90 2.25 0.07 0.06 0.00 0.00 6 5.49 91.50 2.80 0.00 0.21 0.00 0.00 5 5.30 91.53 3.01 0.00 0.15 0.00 0.00 3 5.61 91.44 2.77 0.00 0.08 0.00 0.10 4 5.77 91.78 2.29 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.16 Reduced Section after SPF in Transverse Direction Alloy Al Ti V Cr Fe Ni Mo 2 4.47 93.13 2.40 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1 5.58 91.30 2.87 0.05 0.00 0.11 0.09 3 5.79 91.17 2.74 0.00 0.07 0.12 0.12 4 5.79 91.86 2.27 0.00 0.08 0.00 0.00 Specimen Head after SPF in Longitudinal Direction Alloy Al Ti V Cr Fe Ni Mo 2 4.21 92.62 2.99 0.00 0.19 0.00 0.00 1 5.99 91.21 2.51 0.00 0.19 0.09 0.00 6 5.52 91.41 2.71 0.06 0.30 0.00 0.00 5 5.20 89.88 4.22 0.00 0.59 0.11 0.00 3 5.36 91.02 3.19 0.00 0.32 0.11 0.00 4 5.65 91.51 2.51 0.00 0.25 0.08 0.00 Specimen Head after SPF in in Transverse Direction Alloy Al Ti V Cr Fe Ni Mo 2 4.27 93.05 2.40 0.00 0.18 0.00 0.10 1 4.59 89.81 4.64 0.00 0.59 0.26 0.12 3 5.18 90.26 3.93 0.00 0.46 0.00 0.18 4 5.50 91.35 2.87 0.00 0.17 0.00 0.11 Table 3. Average Chemical Composition of r3-phase (% wt.) in Sheet Materials after Various Processing based on EMPA results Initial Condition Alloy Al Ti V Cr Fe Ni Mo 2 3.11 88.17 6.91 0.10 1.73 0.00 0.00 1 3.76 84.87 9.04 0.00 1.85 0.00 0.48 6 3.61 85.65 7.19 0.00 2.66 0.00 0.89 3.72 84.83 8.28 0.64 2.53 0.00 0.00 3 3.54 84.79 8.43 0.12 2.35 0.00 0.79 4 3.65 85.05 7.67 0.16 2.09 0.66 0.74 Reduced Section after SPF in Longitudinal Direction Alloy Al Ti V Cr Fe Ni Mo 2 2.80 87.72 7.74 0.00 1.74 0.00 0.00 1 3.70 84.58 8.90 0.12 2.06 0.00 0.66 6 3.61 84.34 8.43 0.00 2.79 0.08 0.75 5 3.58 85.44 8.16 0.20 2.55 0.07 0.00 3 3.57 84.99 7.96 0.38 2.37 0.00 0.73 4 3.83 84.46 8.15 0.21 1.91 0.75 0.70 Reduced Section after SPF in Transverse Direction Alloy Al Ti V Cr Fe Ni Mo 2 2.72 87.25 7.90 0.00 1.93 0.00 0.20 1 4.00 85.52 7.95 0.00 1.89 0.00 0.64 3 3.99 85.10 7.79 0.29 2.23 0.00 0.61 4 3.81 84.64 8.21 0.13 2.06 0.57 0.59 Specimen Head after SPF in Longitudinal Direction Alloy Al Ti V Cr Fe Ni Mo 2 2.79 88.09 7.15 0.00 1.71 0.00 0.27 1 3.96 86.06 7.53 0.14 1.90 0.00 0.40 6 3.70 85.43 7.70 0.00 2.49 0.14 0.54 5 3.82 86.76 7.58 0.00 1.83 0.00 0.00 3 3.66 85.19 7.97 0.08 2.34 0.00 0.76 4 3.77 85.92 7.13 0.28 1.86 0.36 0.69 Specimen Head after SPF in Transverse Direction Alloy Al Ti V Cr Fe Ni Mo 2 2.99 87.68 7.48 0.00 1.86 0.00 0.00 1 3.74 85.20 9.03 0.00 1.78 0.25 0.00 3 3.39 85.65 7.91 0.17 2.29 0.00 0.60 4 3.67 85.52 7.52 0.10 1.92 0.45 0.82 The amount of diffusible alloying elements in the material during SPF is determined from the formula:
Q = Z7.11 Am 1 % wt=
where:
Q ¨ amount of diffusible alloying elements in the material during SPF, %
wt.
n ¨ amount of alloying elements in the material, I Aml ¨ absolute variation value of alloying element content in 13¨ and io -- a¨ phases, % wt. during SPF process.
I Am I ¨ is calculated from the formula:
lAml = (mfil ¨ mal) ¨ (/02 ¨ ma2), % wt.
where:
mill ¨ content of alloying element in J3-phase before SPF, % wt., is mi32 ¨ content of alloying element in 3-phase after SPF, % wt., mal ¨ content of alloying element in a-phase before SPF, % wt., ma2 ¨ content of alloying element in a-phase after SPF, % wt.
Included in Table 4 are calculation data related to the amount of alloying elements diffusible during SPF process.
20 Analysis of change in a¨ H 13 ¨phases in wrought sheet materials under investigation demonstrated greater difference in alloying elements content between a¨ H 13¨phases in reduced sections of specimens compared to that in heads of specimens that were not subject to plastic deformation (Tables 2, 3 and 4).

The obtained EMPA results were also used for assessment of phase volume fraction in the material under superplastic properties test temperature of 775 C and are given in Table 5.
Table 4.
Data on specimen tested in longitudinal direction Total difference in Allo variation of alloying Al Ti V Cr Fe Ni Mo elements content between a- and 13-phases 2 -0,10 -1.10 1.36 0.00 0.11 0.00 -0.27 .. 1.84 1 0.01 -2.16 1.63 -0.10 0.28 0.09 0.25 2.36 6 -0.06 -1.18 0.63 0.06 0.39 -0.06 0.21 1.41 5 -0.35 -2.98 1.78 0.20 1.16 0.18 0.00 .. 3.67 3 -0.34 -0.62 0.40 0.29 0.28 0.11 -0.13 1.55 4 -0.06 -1.72 1.24 -0.07 0.29 0.46 -0.15 2.27 Data on specimen tested in transverse direction Total difference in All variation of alloying o Al Ti V Cr Fe Ni Mo elements content between a- and 13-phases 2 -0.47 -0.51 0.43 0.00 0.25 0.00 0.30 .. 1.45 1 -0.73 -1.18 0.69 -0.05 0.70 -0.10 0.68 2.95 3 0.00 -1.46 1.07 0.12 0.33 -0.12 0.07 1.71 4 -0.15 -1.39 1.29 0.02 0.23 0.12 -0.12 .. 1.93 Table 5.
Alloy [Mo]equiv a/13 volume fraction at a temperature of 775 C
based on EMPA results obtained after completion of testing in different directions (reduced section).
longitudinal transverse average 2 5.19 66/34 70/30 68/32 1 6.03 62/38 62/38 62/38 6 6.89 61/39 61/39 6.93 60/40 60/40 3 7.26 58/42 56/44 57/43 4 7.67 46/54 54/46 50/50 Loading curves obtained during testing are shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5.
5 Properties of alloys at superplastic testing are given in Table 6.
True stress vs. strain curve at strain rate of 0.2 and 1.1 (in longitudinal direction) depending on [Mo]equiv is shown in Figure 6.

Table 6 True Stress, MPa Structural Longitudinal Transverse Equivalents Alloy Direction Direction Strain Strain Strain Strain Degree Degree Degree Degree [Al]equiv.
[Mojequiv.
0.2 1.1 0.2 1.1 2 25.32 27.25 25.01 28.81 5.54 5.19 1 23.22 29.01 24.88 29.11 6.83 6.03 6 20.81 26.08 20.93 26.37 6.53 6.89 21.77 26.82 21.06 28.72 6.54 6.93 3 21.82 26.52 21.24 26.83 6.39 7.26 4 19.71 26.78 19.32 27.12 6.66 7.67 Material 1 (Figure 3) with the minimum content of alloying elements has the most unstable SPF process at a temperature of 775 C that is 5 -- described by typical waviness of stress-strain curves caused by formation of floating neck. Such material behavior at SPF is attributed to relatively bulk initial grain (over 2.5 [tm) which has high growth rate at SPF (up to 5 pm), at that a/f3 phase ratio (2/1) is not efficient and leads to activation of intragranular sliding which is less preferable for SPF instead of efficient .. intergranular slipping.
Material 2 (Figure 3) has more additions of 13-stabilizers, thus instability of SPF process in form of stress-strain curve waviness decreases compared with Alloy 1 due to increase in 13¨phase volume fraction in the structure. At that no significant hardening is noted in case of strain degree ranging from 0.6 to 0.8, due to evolution of dynamic recrystallization within the areas of incompletely processed structure (presence of elongated grains) and this is not typical for all other alloys subjected to investigation.
Materials 3, 5 and 6 (Figures 4, 5) with the maximum content of 13¨stabilizers, except for molybdenum (Alloy 5), chromium (Alloy 6), due to increase in 13¨phase in the alloys structure with improved coherence and io easier intergranular slipping are described with stress-strain curves having less waviness compared with Materials 1 and 2; also hardening becomes more prominent with the increase of degree of true strain (Table 3, Figure 6). At that waviness is retained at degrees of strain of up to 0.6, specifically at testing in transverse direction that may be attributed to sheet initial texture as well as with not enough efficient a/13 phase ratio (3 close to 3 to 2). Absence of chromium in Material 6 impacts stress-strain curves to the lesser extent than absence of molybdenum in Material 5 compared with Material 3. One of the causes may be in stronger impact of molybdenum additions on stability of SPF process compared with chromium addition of which is from 2 to 2.5 times less.
Material 4 contains maximum amount of 13¨stabilizers and is additionally alloyed with 0.3% of nickel; it exhibits more stable superplastic behaviour at a temperature of 775 C in both transverse and longitudinal directions, minimum stress at the beginning of the flow, absence of prominent curve waviness and monotonic hardening with the increase of strain degree. This is attributed to almost efficient a/13 phase ratio (1/1) at deformation temperature as well as to maximum content of diffusible 13¨stabilizers (nickel, iron) compared with all the alloys under investigation, thus facilitating mass transport processes at intergranular slipping (total difference in change of alloying elements content between a¨ and (3¨ phases during SPF process exceeds 1.9% wt.).
Among the investigated alloys, Material 4 demonstrated the best results that are in full compliance with the material requirements (Table 7). Tensile tests at constant strain rate and test temperature of (775+7) C
(3 xieinch/inch/s of strain).
Table 7 Longitudinal Direction Transverse Direction Difference Actual Increase in Actual Stress Increase in between Stress at Actual at True Actual Longitudinal True Strain Stress Strain Stress and Transverse (maximum) between (maximum) between Directions 0.2 0.9 0.4 and 0.9 0,2 0,9 0.4 and 0.9 --_600psi psi psi psi psi Material Requirem 4500 7400 yes 4500 7400 yes yes ents Alloy 4 2859 3884 yes 2802 3934 yes yes Comparison of as-annealed sheet mechanical properties is given in Table 8.

Table 8 Longitudinal Direction Transverse Direction Material G0.2 , GB, 8, % O.2, GB, 8 %
MPa MPa MPa MPa , Material 4 963 999 10.8 988 1017 9.8 Requiremen ts to Ti-Material The data given in Tables 7 and 8 shows that as a result of exemplary embodiment, sheet material was manufacture from titanium alloy with chemical composition efficiently balanced with manufacturability based on known conventional manufacturing techniques for semi-finished products having grain size over 2 pm and compliant with the requirements applicable to aerospace material.
It should be noted that the products manufactured in accordance with this invention may have various designs. The designs provided in the description shall be considered as exemplary and not as limiting ones and the limits of this invention are established by the provided claims.

Claims (5)

What is claimed is

1. Sheet material for low temperature superplastic forming made of titanium alloy with the following content of element by % wt.: 4.5-5.5Al, 4.5-5.5V, 0.1-1.0Mo, 0.8-1.5Fe, 0.1-0.5Cr, 0.1-0.5Ni, 0.16-0.25O, remainder is titanium and residual elements, having molybdenum structural equivalent [Mo]eqiv. > 5 and aluminium structural equivalent [Al]equiv. < 8; the equivalent values are calculated from the expressions:
[Mo]eqiv. =[Mo]+[V]/1.5+[Cr] x1.25+[Fe] x2.5+[Ni]/0.8 [Al]eqiv. =[Al]+[O] x10+ [Zr]/6.

2. Sheet material for low temperature superplastic forming of claim 1 with the structure consisting of grains with the size below 8 mµ.

3. Sheet material for low temperature superplastic forming of claims 1 exhibiting superplastic properties at a temperature of 775 10°C.

4. Sheet material for low temperature superplastic forming of claims 1 and 2 exhibiting at a temperature of 775 10°C .alpha./.beta. phase ratio from 0.9 to 1.1.

5. Sheet material for low temperature superplastic forming of claims 1, 2, 3 and 4 with the amount of alloying elements diffusible between .alpha.-and .beta.- phases during SPF process equal to 0.5% minimum and which is determined from the following relation:
where:
Q - amount of diffusible alloying elements in the material during SPF, %
wt.

n - amount of alloying elements in the material, |.DELTA.m| - absolute variation value of alloying element content in .beta.- and .alpha.- phases, % wt. during SPF process.
|.DELTA.m| - is calculated from the formula:
| .DELTA.m | = (m.beta. 1 - m.alpha. 1) - (m.beta.2 -m.alpha.2), % wt.
where:
m.beta.1 - content of alloying element in .beta.-phase before SPF, % wt., m.beta.2 - content of alloying element in .beta.-phase after SPF, % wt., m.alpha.1 - content of alloying element in .alpha.-phase before SPF, % wt., m.alpha.2 - content of alloying element in .alpha.-phase after SPF, % wt.