Effects of Boron Addition on Grain Refinement in TiAl-based Alloys

Solid state phase transformation characteristics of the body centred β(Ti) into the hexagonal closed packed α(Ti) in Ti45Al8Nb-(0, 0.3, 0.5 and 0.8 at. pct) B alloys were investigated by heat treatment to clarify γ/α2 lamellar microstructure refinement induced by B addition. Experimental results confirmed two kinds of boron-reduced grain refinement mechanisms through refining either β phase then α phase (β-refinement) or α phase directly (α-refinement) to refine lamellar microstructure at room temperature; however, the role of α-refinement dominated the as-cast lamellar microstructure refinement over β-refinement in Ti45Al8NbxB alloy. It was also found that during the α-refinement the convoluted flake- and plate-like borides along β grain boundaries assisted nucleation of α phase, and the particle-like borides near β grain boundaries impeded α phase growth.