Adiabatic shear localization in a near beta Ti-5Al-5Mo-5 V-1Cr-1Fe alloy

Adiabatic shear localization plays an important role in the deformation and failure of near beta Ti-5Al-5Mo-5 V-1Cr-1Fe alloy used in aircraft's gear at high rate deformation. Hat shaped specimens with different nominal shear strains are used to induce the formation of an adiabatic shear band under controlled shock-loading experiments. When the nominal shear strain is about 0.68, unstable shear deformation of the alloy emerges after the true flow stress reaches 1100 MPa, the first vibration peak during the split Hopkinson pressure bar testing, and the whole process lasts about 62 μs. The microstructures within the shear band in the Ti-5Al-5Mo-5V-1Cr-1Fe alloy are investigated by means of optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Phase transformation occurs in the shear band when the nominal shear strain increases to 0.68. A number of equiaxed grains with sizes 50-200 nm and alpha″-phase are in the center of the shear band. Kinetic calculations indicate that during the deformation process, the recrystallized nanosized grains can be formed in the shear band by way of the subgrain boundaries rotation, and the alpha″ phase transformation start after the subgrain boundaries rotated to 30°.