Published online by Cambridge University Press: 26 February 2011
Studies consisting of both bulk sample and diffusion couple experiments have been conducted in order to establish an isothermal section of the Ti-Nb-Al system. Bulk samples were prepared by arc-melting and then annealed in a gettered, flowing, argon atmosphere for extended equilibration periods. The results obtained so far have established the existence of two ternary phases with the following approximate compositions, TI (Ti-18 at% Nb-34 at% Al) and T2 (Ti-ll at% Nb-44 at% Al). Moreover, several of the binary phases were found to have extensive solubilities, including the TiAl phase. The phases TiAl3 and NbAl3 form a continuous solid solution. Several heterogeneous equilibria were also determined. Determination of these phase fields was accomplished through the use of electron microprobe analysis (EMPA), x-ray diffraction, microstructural observations and backscatter electron imaging (BEI).