High-performance bulk Ti-Cu-Ni-Sn-Ta nanocomposites based on a dendrite-eutectic microstructure

Using a Ti-Cu-Ni-Sn-Ta alloy as an example, we demonstrate a strategy for the in situ formation of nanocomposite microstructures that can lead to simultaneous high strength and ductility. Our approach employs copper mold casting for the production of bulk alloys from the melt, and the solidification microstructure is designed to be composed of micrometer-sized ductile dendrites uniformly distributed inside a matrix of nanoscale eutectic reaction products. The nanostructured matrix is achieved at a relatively deep eutectic, which facilitates the formation of an ultrafine eutectic microstructure over a range of cooling rates. The multi-component recipe stabilizes a ductile solid solution as the toughening phase and helps to reduce the eutectic spacing down to nanoscale. The multi-phase microstructure (including phase distributions, morphologies, and interfaces) has been examined in detail using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution TEM. The metastable eutectic reaction and the nanoscale spacing achieved are explained using thermodynamic and solidification modeling. The benefits expected from the microstructure design are illustrated using the high strength and large plasticity observed in mechanical property tests. Our nanocomposite design strategy is expected to be applicable to many alloy systems and constitutes another example of tailoring the microstructure on nanoscale for extraordinary properties.