Titanium Alloy Composition for Engine Strength
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a titanium alloy that offers higher strength, finer grain size, and lower cost compared to Ti 6-4, while maintaining comparable density and ductility, to meet the enhanced mechanical property requirements of new aircraft engine designs without the higher production costs associated with other alloys.
Innovation Solution
A titanium alloy with a composition of 6.0 to 6.7% aluminum, 1.4 to 2.0% vanadium, 1.4 to 2.0% molybdenum, 0.20 to 0.42% silicon, 0.17 to 0.23% oxygen, and balanced titanium with incidental impurities, manufactured using a method that includes recycling Ti 6-4 turnings and machining chip, providing a strength increase of about 100 MPa over Ti 6-4 with equivalent ductility and density.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If molybdenum is used as the main beta stabilizing element to increase strength, then strength increases by approximately 100 MPa, but production cost increases and density increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the compositional parameters by precisely controlling the ranges of aluminum (6.0-6.7%), vanadium (1.4-2.0%), molybdenum (1.4-2.0%), silicon (0.20-0.42%), oxygen (0.17-0.23%), and iron (0.10-0.24%) to achieve the desired strength increase while managing cost and density through optimized alloy chemistry
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite alloy system combining multiple beta-stabilizing elements (vanadium and molybdenum) with alpha-stabilizing aluminum and interstitial elements (silicon, oxygen, iron) to achieve synergistic strengthening effects that meet performance requirements while controlling material cost
2Strength
If molybdenum is used as the main beta stabilizing element to increase strength, then strength increases by approximately 100 MPa, but density increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent controls the molybdenum content within a moderate range (1.4-2.0%) rather than using high concentrations, and balances it with vanadium (1.4-2.0%) to achieve the required strength increase while minimizing density increase through optimized compositional parameters
3Ease of manufacture
If Ti 6-4 turnings and machining chip are recycled to reduce cost, then production cost decreases, but alloy composition control becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recovers and reuses Ti 6-4 turnings and machining chip as raw materials, converting waste products back into valuable alloy feedstock, thereby reducing production cost while implementing a circular economy approach in titanium alloy manufacturing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes specific compositional ranges for aluminum (6.0-6.7%), vanadium (1.4-2.0%), molybdenum (1.4-2.0%), silicon (0.20-0.42%), oxygen (0.17-0.23%), and iron (0.10-0.24%) that accommodate variations from recycled materials, ensuring consistent alloy properties despite the use of recovered feedstock
Data Source
AI summary
A titanium alloy having high strength, fine grain size, and low cost and a method of manufacturing the same is disclosed. In particular, the inventive alloy offers a strength increase of about 100 MPa over Ti 6-4, with a comparable density and near equivalent ductility. The inventive alloy is particularly useful for a multitude of applications including components of aircraft engines. The Ti alloy comprises, in weight percent, about 6.0 to about 6.7% aluminum, about 1.4 to about 2.0% vanadium, about 1.4 to about 2.0% molybdenum, about 0.20 to about 0.42% silicon, about 0.17 to about 0.23% oxygen, maximum about 0.24% iron, maximum about 0.08% carbon and balance titanium with incidental impurities.