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

TL;DR

This paper introduces a non-destructive 3D texture tomography method for Ti-6Al-4V alloy, enabling detailed internal microstructure analysis without grain resolution, validated by comparison with EBSD.

Contribution

It presents a novel texture tomography technique that reconstructs 3D orientation maps from continuous diffraction data, avoiding the need for grain-resolved diffraction patterns.

Findings

Reconstructed 3D micro-textured regions in Ti-6Al-4V alloy.

Excellent agreement between TT and EBSD results.

Identified sharp unimodal textures linked to rolling directions.

Abstract

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 $\alpha$-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.