Titanium Aluminide

Titanium Aluminide Description

Titanium aluminide has three major intermetallic compounds: gamma TiAl, alpha 2-Ti3Al, and TiAl3. Among the three, gamma TiAl has received the most interest and applications.

TiAl is a unique material with a number of key properties that lie between titanium and high temperature nickel superalloys, making it an attractive material for different applications. Of all the titanium alloys on the market, TiAl has the highest oxidation resistance at high temperatures and can compete with many of the nickel superalloys available.

TiAl has the advantage over many of these nickel superalloys in that it has half the density, so you can create a much lighter structure for the same volume.

TiAl also has a high mechanical resistance and tensile strength at high temperatures and an inherent hardness. This specific combination of physical and resistance properties makes TiAl a unique material compared to other alloys on the market

TiAl is one of the most challenging metal alloy powders within additive manufacturing, yet increasingly customers are realizing its potential for high-end applications where performance is key. The combination of titanium and aluminum in precise ratios enables TiAl, an intermetallic compound, to have some unique properties that can be customized to meet demanding application requirements. TiAl powder is created using its proprietary plasma atomization process. The plasma atomization process has a high degree of controllability and uses plasma torches to transform the raw material or liquid metal stream into a powder. This process creates TiAl powders with highly spherical particles thanks to a long residence time that allows the particles to settle into their optimal size and shape. TiAl powder created in this manner also possess a low porosity, as well as an excellent flowability and packing density.

TiAl is typically a hard and brittle material, which makes it hard to manufacture and process using conventional manufacturing methods because cracks can easily form. This means that complex heat processes must be used to make the TiAl usable—and this has been responsible for the high cost of TiAl over the years. While TiAl is still more expensive than other alloys, many of these issues can be negated using electron beam melting (EBM) as it enables TiAl powders to be easily manufactured into complex parts and shapes (that would otherwise not be possible) without the need for secondary heat processes.

Titanium Aluminide Applications and Related Industries

● Low temperature turbine blades within jet engines

● Turbocharger for supercars

● High-end watches

● Replacement of superalloys

● Aerospace plane

● Air frames

● Investment casting

● Automotive engine valves

● Turbocharger rotors

● Wire/fiber metal matrix composites

● Research & Laboratory

● Aeroplane

● Automobile