Study on phase transformations in superconducting Ti-50%Nb alloy using temperature-dependent internal friction method

The internal friction method is used to study phase transformations in the Ti-50%Nb alloy parallel with other methods. The effect of annealing temperature and time, as well as the content of interstitial impurities in the alloy and its thermomechanical treatment (TMT) is studied. In the 250-300 deg C temperature range the complex maximum of internal friction caused by extraction of secondary phases is observed. The latter is confirmed by the measurement data of mechanical properties and electron microscopic analysis. The maximum consists of three overlapping peaks that reflects stepped form of the decomposition process of the metastable solid solution. The preliminary thermo-mechanical alloy treatment consisting of equidirectional plastic deformation with the following recrystallization annealing leads to peak increase. This fact testifies to the stimulating effect of thermo-mechanical treatment on the degree of solid solution decomposition and reveals in the increase of the critical current density of a wire made of the ingot. The increase of the interstitial impurity content in the alloy has the analogous effect. The reduction of the internal friction level during isothermal stand-up at temperatures higher than the third peak temperature proceeds in two stages