Surface Effects on the Mechanical Properties of Gamma Titanium Aluminides

Surface conditions are of significant importance for the fatigue performance of rotating components for aircraft and automotive applications. Compared to the electropolished reference state the fatigue performance of gamma titanium aluminides at ambient temperature can be significantly improved by shot peening, while the fatigue strength after roller burnishing is hardly affected. Fatigue strength improvements after shot peening are mainly caused by cyclically stable residual compressive stresses in the near-surface region. Notably, also conventional turning operations generate high dislocation densities and residual compressive stresses in the near-surface region resulting in fatigue strength improvements similar to shot peening. Surface strengthening by shot peening or machining leads to subsurface fatigue crack nucleation and overcompensates the detrimental influence of the high surface roughness on fatigue. However, for temperatures above 650 degrees C, residual compressive stresses induced by shot peening and machining quickly relax. This indicates that, at elevated temperatures, surface roughness and dislocation strengthening become increasingly important for the fatigue performance of components.