THE EFFECTS OF CR ADDITIONS TO BINARY TIAL-BASE ALLOYS

The effects of Cr additions to gamma-base alloys have been investigated, using bulk materials consolidated from rapid solidification-processed ribbons. The composition ranges studied were 0 to 4 at. pct Cr and 44 to 54 at. pct Al. It was found that Cr additions do not affect the deformation behavior of single-phase gamma-alloys. However, they significantly enhance the plasticity of Al-lean duplex alloys which contain grains of single-phase gamma and grains of lamellar gamma/alpha-2. Other Cr effects on microstructure, phase stability, site occupancy, and deformation substructures were characterized and correlated to the observed mechanical behavior. It was concluded that the ductilization effect of Cr in duplex alloys is partially due to the tendency of Cr to occupy Al lattice sites. Ductilization is also partially due to the ability of Cr to modify the Al partitioning and, therefore, the thermal stability of transformed alpha-2 laths.