Heat Treating Titanium

[tryppyr]

So I've read up on heat treating steel, and understand the reasons one would do that. But titanium is a different beast altogether, and I presume none of the reasons one HTs steel would apply to titanium.

But it occurs to me to wonder whether there might be some other reason for HT of titanium.

Anyone care to offer some insights? Can HT be used to produce a more colorful or lustrous finish? Can it improve the qualities of the metal in any way?

- Greg

 

[Hankins]

Nope
NO Carbon

 

[Nebulae]

what about 60NiTinol its not exactly titanium but it does deserves some discusion

 

[gdfj12]

Greg,

Here is an interesting article on heat treating Ti alloys.

http://www.keytometals.com/Article97.htm

George

 

[butcher_block]

you can HT Ti
its jsut not the same as with steel (its a PH material)

 

[tryppyr]

Excellent article. Thanks, George.

A key take away for me is that you need to know your alloy to know which treatment is useful. And since I don't (and probably never will) know the complete recipe for the chunk I have, it's pointless to pursue HT on this piece.

 

[Gene Martin]

tryppyr,

If you have a large, non ferrous metals recycler or foundry (use Google) they have this cool tool. It looks like a radar gun and will give a digital readout of the chemistry of whatever metal you have. It's also a $30K tool, so expect to pay something for use. It will tell you exactly what type Ti you have so you can plan accordingly.

Gene

 

[mete]

Alloying and heat treating a metal is done to enhance properties. Pure Ti would be very soft but HT'd alloys can be very strong.
Various strengthening mechanisms are used in HT. Precipitation hardening is used in steel even though carbide precipitation is rarely called that , it's a special case. There are various PH stainless steels not involving carbon. Martensitic transformation occurs in steels and other alloy systems .Of course solid solution strenghtening , binary systems and others can be added.
Enough fun for all !!