Interfacial reactions of titanium and aluminum during diffusion welding

Multilaminated composites of titanium and aluminum, in the correct atomic ratios of Ti:Al for γ-TiAl, have been prepared by cold-roll bonding. The effects of reaction annealing temperature, time and atmosphere on the diffusion welding characteristics of titanium and aluminum have been studied. The resulting intermetallics, which formed at the Ti/Al interface, were characterized using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometer system. The hardness of the samples was evaluated by Vickers microhardness testing. Results of this study show the cold-roll-bonded multilaminated composites of titanium and aluminum can produce the intermetallic compound TiAl3 in relatively short times at low reaction annealing temperatures. Good metallurgical bonds were also formed with diffusion welding. Preliminary investigation of the diffusion process between titanium and aluminum has been performed.