MIT Researchers Develop New Titanium Alloys with Unprecedented Strength and Ductility
A team of researchers at MIT, in collaboration with ATI Specialty Materials, has developed a new method for creating titanium alloys that surpass traditional trade-offs between strength and ductility. This breakthrough could revolutionize materials used in industries like aerospace, where both high strength and flexibility are essential.
Titanium alloys are critical in a range of applications, from aerospace to biomedical equipment, due to their corrosion resistance and lightweight properties. Historically, improving one key property, such as strength, often reduced another, like ductility. But the MIT team has managed to overcome this limitation by fine-tuning the alloy’s chemical composition, lattice structure, and processing techniques.
The research, detailed in Advanced Materials, was led by MIT alumnus Shaolou Wei ScD ’22, Professor C. Cem Tasan, and postdoc Kyung-Shik Kim, along with John Foltz from ATI. Their approach involves creating a balance between the two intermixed phases found in titanium alloys, the alpha and beta phases. By ensuring these phases deform in harmony, the team achieved a material that’s both strong and ductile.
A crucial element of this development is the use of cross-rolling, a processing technique that plays a key role in enhancing the alloy’s mechanical properties. The team's testing, which included using a scanning electron microscope, showed that the combination of composition, structure, and processing led to a superior alloy, ideal for demanding applications.
Looking ahead, the researchers believe their method could lead to even more advanced titanium alloys for industries where strength and flexibility are crucial, especially in aerospace.
