A coupled EBSD/EDS method to determine the primary- and secondary-alpha textures in titanium alloys with duplex microstructures

A method for separating the textures of primary alpha (αp) and secondary alpha (αs) in alpha/beta titanium alloys with a duplex microstructure was developed. Utilizing electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), the approach relies on the non-uniform partitioning of alloying elements between primary alpha and regions containing secondary-alpha lamellae and residual beta matrix phase. The method was evaluated using samples of Ti-6Al-4V for which vanadium partitions strongly to secondary alpha + beta regions. The technique thus provides a useful tool for quantifying the evolution of deformation texture in the primary alpha and transformation texture in secondary alpha formed via decomposition of the beta matrix following hot working or final heat treatment.