Improved ductility and oxidation resistance of cast Ti–6Al–4V alloys by microalloying

• Modified Ti64 alloys with improved ductility and oxidation resistance are developed.
• B improves the ductility by refining grain size and enhancing boundary cohesion.
• Y enhances the oxidation resistance by possibly slowing down the oxidation kinetics.

The effects of B and Y on the mechanical properties and oxidation behavior of cast Ti–6Al–4V alloys were systematically investigated, and the new alloys with improved ductility and oxidation resistance are developed by the microalloying approach. The results indicate that boron is beneficial for improving the ductility by not only grain-size refinement but also grain-boundary enhancement, while yttrium is effective in increasing the oxidation resistance through possibly slowing down the oxidation kinetics. The improved properties, together with their high strength, make the microalloyed cast Ti–6Al–4V alloys competitive for practical engineering applications.