Titanium alloys, methods of forming the same, and articles formed therefrom

Abstract

A titanium alloy includes a nickel content controlled to a level sufficient to reduce incidence of strain induced porosity upon hot working the titanium alloy relative to incidence of strain induced porosity in a second alloy upon hot working, the second alloy comprising no greater than an impurities level of nickel and otherwise having an elemental composition identical to the titanium alloy.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A titanium alloy having a nickel content controlled to a level no greater than 0.10 weight percent and sufficient to reduce incidence of strain induced porosity upon hot working the titanium alloy relative to incidence of strain induced porosity in a second alloy upon hot working, the second alloy comprising no greater than an impurities level of nickel and otherwise having an elemental composition identical to the titanium alloy.  
     
     
         2 . The titanium alloy of  claim 1 , wherein the nickel content is controlled to at least 0.035 percent by weight.  
     
     
         3 . The titanium alloy of  claim 2 , wherein the nickel content is controlled within the range 0.035 to 0.10 percent by weight.  
     
     
         4 . The titanium alloy of  claim 3 , wherein the nickel content is controlled within the range 0.035 to 0.065 percent by weight.  
     
     
         5 . The titanium alloy of  claim 4 , wherein the nickel content is controlled to 0.05 percent by weight.  
     
     
         6 . The titanium alloy of  claim 1 , wherein the titanium alloy comprises greater than an impurities level of aluminum.  
     
     
         7 . The titanium alloy of  claim 1 , wherein, with the exception of nickel content, the elemental composition of the titanium alloy is that of a material selected from the group consisting of Commercially Pure Titanium, Commercially Pure Titanium with additions, Ti-6Al-4V, Ti-6Al-4V-ELI, Ti-5Al-2.5Sn, Ti-5Al-2.5Sn-ELI, Ti-3Al-2.5Sn, Ti 6Al-6V-2Sn, Ti-6Al-7Nb, Ti-7Al-4Mo, Ti-4Al-4Mo-2Sn, Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al, Ti-15V-3Cr-3Al-3Sn, Ti-3Al-8V-6Cr-4Zr-4Mo, Ti-13V-11Cr-3Al, and Ti-5Al-2Sn-2Zr-4Mo-4Cr.  
     
     
         8 . The titanium alloy of  claim 1 , wherein a source of the nickel content in the titanium alloy is at least one material selected from the group consisting of virgin raw nickel, nickel-containing revert, nickel pellets, nickel shot, nickel powder, nickel-containing master alloy, and nickel-containing turnings.  
     
     
         9 . A titanium alloy comprising greater than an impurities level of aluminum and having a nickel content controlled to a level sufficient to reduce incidence of strain induced porosity upon hot working the titanium alloy relative to incidence of strain induced porosity upon hot working a second alloy, the second alloy comprising no greater than an impurities level of nickel and otherwise having an elemental composition identical to the titanium alloy.  
     
     
         10 . The titanium alloy of  claim 9 , wherein the nickel content is controlled to at least 0.035 percent by weight.  
     
     
         11 . The titanium alloy of  claim 10 , wherein the nickel content is controlled within the range 0.035 to 0.10 percent by weight.  
     
     
         12 . The titanium alloy of  claim 11 , wherein the nickel content is controlled within the range 0.035 to 0.065 percent by weight.  
     
     
         13 . The titanium alloy of  claim 12 , wherein the nickel content is controlled to 0.05 percent by weight.  
     
     
         14 . The titanium alloy of  claim 9 , wherein, with the exception of nickel content, the elemental composition of the titanium alloy is that of a material selected from the group consisting of Commercially Pure Titanium, Commercially Pure Titanium with additions, Ti-6Al-4V, Ti-6Al-4V-ELI, Ti-5Al-2.5Sn, Ti-5Al-2.5Sn-ELI, Ti-3Al-2.5Sn, Ti 6Al-6V-2Sn, Ti-6Al-7Nb, Ti-7Al-4Mo, Ti-4Al-4Mo-2Sn, Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al, Ti-15V-3Cr-3Al-3Sn, Ti-3Al8V-6Cr-4Zr-4Mo, Ti-13V-11Cr-3Al, and Ti-5Al-2Sn-2Zr-4Mo-4Cr.  
     
     
         15 . The titanium alloy of  claim 9 , wherein a source of the nickel content is at least one material selected from the group consisting of virgin raw nickel, nickel-containing revert, nickel pellets, nickel shot, nickel powder, nickel-containing master alloy, and nickel-containing turnings.  
     
     
         16 . A titanium alloy comprising greater than an impurities level of aluminum and a nickel content added and controlled to at least 0.035 percent by weight.  
     
     
         17 . The titanium alloy of  claim 16 , wherein the nickel content is controlled within the range 0.035 to 0.10 percent by weight.  
     
     
         18 . The titanium alloy of  claim 17 , wherein the nickel content is controlled within the range 0.035 to 0.065 percent by weight.  
     
     
         19 . The titanium alloy of  claim 18 , wherein the nickel content is controlled to 0.05 percent by weight.  
     
     
         20 . The titanium alloy of  claim 16 , wherein, with the exception of nickel content, the elemental composition of the titanium alloy is that of a material selected from the group consisting of Commercially Pure Titanium, Commercially Pure Titanium with additions, Ti-6Al-4V, Ti-6Al-4V-ELI, Ti-5Al-2.5Sn, Ti-5Al-2.5Sn-ELI, Ti-3Al-2.5Sn, Ti 6Al-6V-2Sn, Ti-6Al-7Nb, Ti-7Al-4Mo, Ti-4Al-4Mo-2Sn, Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al, Ti-15V-3Cr-3Al-3Sn, Ti-3Al-8V-6Cr-4Zr-4Mo, Ti-13V-11Cr-3Al, and Ti-5Al-2Sn-2Zr-4Mo-4Cr.  
     
     
         21 . A titanium alloy comprising a nickel content added and controlled within the range 0.035 to 0.10 percent by weight.  
     
     
         22 . The titanium alloy of  claim 21 , wherein the nickel content is controlled within the range 0.035 to 0.065 percent by weight.  
     
     
         23 . The titanium alloy of  claim 22 , wherein the nickel content is controlled to 0.050 percent by weight.  
     
     
         24 . The titanium alloy of  claim 21  wherein, with the exception of nickel content, the elemental composition of the titanium alloy is that of a material selected from the group consisting of Commercially Pure Titanium, Commercially Pure Titanium with additions, Ti-6Al-4V, Ti-6Al-4V-ELI, Ti-5Al-2.5Sn, Ti-5Al-2.5Sn-ELI, Ti-3Al-2.5Sn, Ti 6Al-6V-2Sn, Ti-6Al-7Nb, Ti-7Al-4Mo, Ti-4Al-4Mo-2Sn, Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al, Ti-15V-3Cr-3Al-3Sn, Ti-3Al-8V-6Cr-4Zr-4Mo, Ti-13V-11Cr-3Al, and Ti-5Al-2Sn-2Zr-4Mo-4Cr.  
     
     
         25 . A method of making a titanium alloy, the method comprising: 
 forming a melt comprising a source of titanium and a source of nickel;    controlling the nickel content of the melt to a level no greater than 0.10 percent by weight and sufficient to reduce incidence of strain induced porosity upon hot working the titanium alloy relative to incidence of strain induced porosity in a second alloy upon hot working, the second alloy comprising no greater than an impurities level of nickel and otherwise having an elemental composition identical to the titanium alloy; and    casting the melt.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the nickel content is controlled within the range 0.035 to 0.10 percent by weight.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the nickel content is controlled within the range of 0.035 to 0.065 percent by weight.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the nickel content is controlled to 0.050 percent by weight.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the titanium alloy comprises greater than an impurities level of aluminum.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein, with the exception of nickel content, the elemental composition of the alloy is that of a material selected from the group consisting of Commercially Pure Titanium, Commercially Pure Titanium with additions, Ti-6Al-4V, Ti-6Al-4V-ELI, Ti-5Al-2.5Sn, Ti-5Al-2.5Sn-ELI, Ti-3Al-2.5Sn, Ti 6Al-6V-2Sn, Ti-6Al-7Nb, Ti-7Al-4Mo, Ti-4Al-4Mo-2Sn, Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al, Ti-15V-3Cr-3Al-3Sn, Ti-3Al-8V-6Cr-4Zr-4Mo, Ti-13V-11Cr-3Al, and Ti-5Al-2Sn-2Zr-4Mo-4Cr.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the source of the nickel is at least one material selected from the group consisting of virgin raw nickel, nickel-containing revert, nickel pellets, nickel shot, nickel powder, nickel containing master alloys, and nickel-containing turnings.  
     
     
         32 . A method of making a titanium alloy including greater than an impurities level of aluminum, the method comprising: 
 forming a melt comprising a source of titanium, a source of nickel, and a source of aluminum;    controlling the nickel content of the melt to at least 0.035 percent by weight; and    casting the melt.    
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the nickel content is controlled within the range 0.035 to 0.10 percent by weight.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the nickel content is controlled within the range 0.035 to 0.065 percent by weight.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the nickel content is controlled to 0.05 percent by weight.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the source of nickel is at least one material selected from the group consisting of virgin raw nickel, nickel-containing revert, nickel pellets, nickel shot, nickel powder, nickel-containing master alloys, and nickel-containing turnings.  
     
     
         37 . A method of making a titanium alloy, the method comprising: 
 forming a melt comprising a source of titanium and a source of nickel, wherein the source of nickel is at least one of virgin raw nickel, nickel pellets, nickel shot, nickel powder, and nickel-containing master alloy;    actively controlling the nickel content of the melt to no greater than 0.10 percent by weight; and    casting the melt.    
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the nickel content is controlled within the range 0.035 to 0.10 percent by weight.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the nickel content is controlled within the range 0.035 to 0.065 percent by weight.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the nickel content is controlled to 0.05 percent by weight.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the titanium alloy includes greater than an impurities level of aluminum.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein, with the exception of nickel content, the elemental composition of the titanium alloy is that of a material selected from the group consisting of Commercially Pure Titanium, Commercially Pure Titanium with additions, Ti-6Al-4V, Ti-6Al-4V-ELI, Ti-5Al-2.5Sn, Ti-5Al-2.5Sn-ELI, Ti-3Al-2.5Sn, Ti 6Al-6V-2Sn, Ti-6Al-7Nb, Ti-7Al-4Mo, Ti-4Al-4Mo-2Sn, Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al, Ti-15V-3Cr-3Al-3Sn, Ti-3Al-8V-6Cr-4Zr-4Mo, Ti-13V-11Cr-3Al, and Ti-5Al-2Sn-2Zr-4Mo-4Cr.  
     
     
         43 . An article of manufacture comprising the titanium alloy of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         44 . The article of manufacture of  claim 43 , wherein the article of manufacture is selected from the group consisting of turbines, aircraft and airframe parts, rocket components, motors, engines, automobile and motorcycle components, automotive racing components, valves, springs, brakes, heat exchangers, industrial equipment, tanks, pipes, valves, pumps, biomedical implant components, surgical instruments, recreational equipment, sports equipment, architectural components, and building materials.