Technical Papers and Notes - Institute of Metals Division - The Elevated-Temperature Characteristics of Internally Oxidized Titanium-Cerium Alloys

Solid-solution titanium-cerium alloys, cold-rolled to 0.010 in. thickness, and annealed, were internally oxidized to produce a fine dispersion of CeO2 in the titanium matrix. The oxidized alloys were cut into sheet stress-rupture specimens and tested for rupture life at 426°C, 538°C, and 648°C. There was noted an improvement in strength over that of pure titanium, the internally-oxidized alloys showing curves with a much flatter slope on the log stress—log rupture life plot, characteristic of the stable metal-metal oxide class of alloy. DURING the past 3 to 4-year period, considerable interest has been aroused by the potential offered by alloys based on the ultra fine dispersion of a hard insoluble phase in pure metals or solid-solution alloys for use at high temperatures. The impetus to the development and study of such alloys was provided by Irmann.1,2 through the success of the SAP alloy (pure aluminum containing about 12-14 volume pct of A12O3). Subsequent studies have thrown light on the true potential of this class of alloys in the remarkable stability of the structure after long-time exposure at high stresses and high temperatures.a-5 While success has been demonstrated in the special case of the A1-Al2O3 alloys, and more recently