Texture evolution mechanism of graphene-reinforced Ti-matrix composites during hot deformation
摘要
Texture is a critical microstructural feature that governs hot workability and largely dictates the anisotropy of mechanical properties in Ti-matrix composites (TMCs). However, the texture evolution mechanism in TMCs during the hot deformation process remains unclear. Here, graphene-reinforced TMCs are hot compressed at 900–1020 °C and strain rates of 0.001–1 s−1 to quantify the texture evolution of the titanium alloy matrix. Below the β-transus, a considerable fraction of primary α-Ti is retained, and the α-Ti texture intensity reaches its minimum at 940 °C. In contrast, deformation above the β-transus produces a fully transformed α-Ti microstructure and results in a marked texture strengthening, which is attributed to strong prior β-Ti inheritance and variant selection. Increasing the strain rate refines the recrystallized grains and gradually weakens the recrystallized α-Ti texture, whereas the bulk α-Ti texture responds non-monotonically due to the weighted contributions from recrystallized and non-recrystallized regions. Moreover, in-situ formed TiC particles enhance the continuous dynamic recrystallization tendency of the matrix, providing an additional pathway for texture weakening. These results deepen understanding of the relationship between hot deformation parameters and texture, providing practical processing guidelines for weakening post-deformation texture in TMCs.