Cryogenic Treatment of Titanium 1

[CompositeGeek]

Okay - I am out of my professional depth but here goes:

1. What (if any) advantage does cryo treatment of common aerospace titanium alloys provide? Wear resistance? Fatigue life iprovement? Property characteristics?

2. How is the treatment impacted by alloy of titanium? 6AL-4V vs 5-5-5-3 as an example.

3. I know certain steels benefit, and according to Golf Digest Titanium clubs are helped(still looking at this) But how about Inconel? Any benefits?

4. If Cryo treatment improves wear resistance in steel but then the part is shotpeened after treatment does that have a negative impact on the level of benefit?

Thanks in advance. Any feedback is appreciated!!!

Composites and Airplanes - what was I thinking?

There are gremlins in the autoclave!

 

[Frederick]

In my experience, cryotreatment will increase wear resistance and high cycle fatigue resistance in titanium. It will also make the metal more malleable. Ditto Inconel.

RE: shotpeening, it probably does not have a negative impact, unless you overpeen the surface to the point that you cause cracks due to cold working the surface. Even then, they will not be too bad as you will have created a layer of compressive residule stress on the surface that the cracks cannot propogate through.

This being said, we've been cryo treating shot peened valve springs for decades, and find life greatly enhanced. You might want to consider shot peening before cryogenics.

 

[CompositeGeek]

Thanks Frederick, I appreciate the response. I met with my customer today and we are considering using cryo treatment on a fracture critical application.

Thanks again!

Composites and Airplanes - what was I thinking?

There are gremlins in the autoclave!