Non-destructive 3D characterization of microtextured regions in the bulk of Ti-6Al-4V alloy

Overview & Synopsis

In this study we present spatially resolved texture and orientation maps from a cube-shaped sample of Ti-6Al-4V alloy, reconstructed by means of texture tomography (TT). Unlike grain resolved 3DXRD techniques which require "spotty" diffraction patterns, TT can reconstruct local (voxelized) orientation distribution function (ODFs) from continuous diffraction patterns collected in a 3D scanning procedure. Reconstructions of the same sample, scanned in two different settings and subsequent EBSD analysis parallel to one of the sample faces show excellent mutual agreement and validate the single-axis data collection and reconstruction procedure for this class of materials. The reconstruction reveals the presence and the 3D shape of several micro-textured regions, showing a sharp unimodal texture of the α-phase with a clear link of the orientation and spatial alignment of these zones to the rolling, transverse and normal directions of the rolled material.