Structure and mechanical properties of electron beam welded joints of orthorhombic titanium aluminide alloy VTI-4

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Abstract

In the present work, electron beam welding (EBW) was used to produce joints from the VTI-4 alloy based on orthorhombic titanium aluminide (Ti2AlNb), which is a promising material for the aerospace industry. A pulsed EBW mode for butt-welding of 2 mm thick plates of this alloy was proposed, ensuring the formation of a high-quality welded joint. The welding parameters were as follows: welding speed 0.5–1.0 m/min, welding current 15–20 mA, focusing current 500–550 mA, and pulse frequency 25 Hz, with the beam focused on the surface of the workpieces. The phase composition, as well as the grain size and dimensions of the weld zones, were determined using scanning electron microscopy methods. The fusion zone (FZ) consists of the β-phase, while the heat-affected zone (HAZ) can be divided into HAZ1, consisting of β+α2 phases, and HAZ2, comprising β+α2+O phases. In the HAZ1 region, the globular α2-phase is partially retained, since higher heating temperatures are required to complete the α2→β transformation. Furthermore, it was determined that the level of strength properties of the produced welded joints corresponds to ≈90 % of the base metal strength. A comparative analysis of the dendrite size and globular β-grains in the weld, as well as the strength and ductility of joints produced by various fusion welding methods, showed that the EBW joints have a 2–3 times smaller grain size in the fusion zone and the HAZ of the weld. This feature positively affects the set of mechanical properties, where a high weld strength coefficient is achieved during EBW of the VTI-4 alloy, and the elongation at fracture corresponds to 2.8 %.

About the authors

Stanislav V. Naumov

Belgorod National Research University

Author for correspondence.
Email: NaumovStanislav@yandex.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-4084-8861

PhD (Engineering),
senior researcher at the Laboratory of Bulk Nanostructured Materials (BNM),
assistant professor of Chair of Materials Science and Nanotechnology (MSN)

Russian Federation, 308015, Russia, Belgorod, Pobedy Street, 85.

Dmitrii O. Panov

Belgorod National Research University

Email: dimmak-panov@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-8971-1268

Associate Professor,
senior researcher at the Laboratory of Bulk Nanostructured Materials (BNM),
assistant professor of Chair of Materials Science and Nanotechnology (MSN).

Russian Federation, 308015, Russia, Belgorod, Pobedy Street, 85

Vitaly S. Sokolovsky

Belgorod National Research University

Email: sokolovskiy@bsuedu.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-5607-2765

PhD (Engineering),
researcher at the Laboratory of Bulk Nanostructured Materials (BNM).

Russian Federation, 308015, Russia, Belgorod, Pobedy Street, 85.

Gennady A. Salishchev

Belgorod National Research University

Email: salishchev_g@bsuedu.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-0815-3525

Doctor of Sciences (Engineering), Professor,
Head of the Laboratory of Bulk Nanostructured Materials (BNM),
professor of Chair of Materials Science and Nanotechnology (MSN).

Russian Federation, 308015, Russia, Belgorod, Pobedy Street, 85.

Sergey A. Mazunin

Proton-PM JSC

Email: serega.maz@yandex.ru

Deputy Chief Welder.

Russian Federation, 614010, Russia, Perm, Komsomolsky Prospekt, 93.

Alexey Yu. Shilov

Proton-PM JSC

Email: shilovalex90@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0009-0009-5565-6449

Head of the Welding Engineering Bureau

Russian Federation, 614010, Russia, Perm, Komsomolsky Prospekt, 93.

Dmitry S. Belinin

Perm National Research Polytechnic University

Email: 5ly87@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-5462-0908

PhD (Engineering),
assistant professor of Chair of Welding, Metrology, and Materials Engineering.

Russian Federation, 614990, Russia, Perm, Komsomolsky Prospekt, 29.

Vasily V. Lukianov

Scientific and Production Association “Technopark of Aviation Technologies”

Email: ukianovv@bk.ru
ORCID iD: 0009-0006-3621-3966

PhD (Engineering),
Head of the Complex-Shape Forming Department.

Russian Federation, 450112, Republic of Bashkortostan, Ufa, Tramvaynaya Street, 5/1.

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Copyright (c) 2026 Naumov S.V., Panov D.O., Sokolovsky V.S., Salishchev G.A., Mazunin S.A., Shilov A.Y., Belinin D.S., Lukianov V.V.

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