Mechanical Properties and Microstructural Evolution of TiNi-Based Intermetallic Alloy with Nb Addition

TiNi intermetallic alloys were prepared with 2, 4 and 6 at.% niobium (Nb) addition. The mechanical properties and microstructures of the alloys were investigated under both static (1 × 10(−1) to 1 × 10(−3) s(−1)) and dynamic (4 × 10(3) to 6 × 10(3) s(−1)) loading conditions. The intermetallic alloy structures and surface morphologies of the alloys were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. In addition, the fracture morphologies were observed by optical microscopy (OM). It was shown that the addition of 2 to 4 at.% Nb increased the strength of the TiNi alloy. However, as the level of Nb addition was further increased to 6 at.%, a significant reduction in strength occurred. For a constant Nb addition, the plastic flow stress and strain rate sensitivity increased with increasing strain rate under both loading conditions (static and dynamic). The XRD and SEM results showed that the original surface morphologies were composed primarily of dendritic structures and fine β-Nb + TiNi eutectic systems. Moreover, the OM results showed that the alloys underwent a transition from a brittle fracture mode to a ductile fracture mode as the level of Nb addition increased.