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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Study of the high temperature behaviour of titanium alloy Ti6242S under complex atmospheres : aeronautical applications

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The use of titanium alloys in many applications (transport, energy, chemistry,...) allows significant weight savings in relation to the good mechanical properties/density ratio of these materials. Since titanium alloys are employed at high temperatures (T>500°C), their behavior in such conditions has to be studied in severe conditions in order to understand degradation mechanisms. Moreover, some specific conditions can be met during application, like thermal cycling, water vapour or presence of salts. These parameters are known to influence oxidation behavior of titanium alloys.In this thesis work, oxidation behavior of an aeronautics titanium alloy (Ti6242S) has been studied in air and moist air at 560°C. The effect of solid salt deposits (NaCl and/or Na2SO4) on the oxidation behavior of Ti6242S alloy has also been taken into account. Ti6242S samples were oxidized at 560°C for oxidation times up to 19 000 hours with or without solid salt deposits. NaCl deposit resulted in an important deterioration of Ti6242S alloy behavior at this temperature. Oxygen dissolution in the metal was no longer observed compared to ageing in air, but internal oxidation of the alloy could be evidenced, and cracks were observed deeply into the metallic substrate after oxidation. The corrosion resistance decrease in such conditions was attributed to the presence of chlorine and formation of volatile metallic chlorides due to the presence of NaCl. A degradation mechanism based on active oxidation of Ti6242S alloy exposed to NaCl salt was proposed. The second salt deposit tested consisted in a mixed NaCl/Na2SO4 salt deposit. The harmful effect of this salt deposit on the oxidation behavior of Ti6242S alloy was lower than that of a simple NaCl deposit.Mechanical properties of Ti6242S alloy exposed to solid salt deposits at 560°C were then studied. A simple oxidation in air for 100 hours without salt deposit resulted in an important loss of ductility of the tested samples due to the presence of oxygen solid solution into the metal. The same oxidation time caused an even more important loss of ductility for the samples covered by NaCl deposits. In this case, sample failure occurred at the end of the elastic deformation domain. Elastic modulus and yield strength were also strongly decreased. Mixed NaCl/Na2SO4 deposit exhibited a lower impact on the mechanical properties of the oxidized Ti6242S sample, in accordance with the lower reactivity of Ti6242S alloy with this type of salt deposit. Mechanisms explaining Ti6242S alloy mechanical behavior in such conditions were explained in this thesis work.