Analysis of hardness and residual stresses in high temperature heat treated commercially pure grade 2 titanium alloy plates

The effect of high temperature heat treatment on the hardness and residual stress layout of commercially pure grade 2 titanium alloy plates is analyzed in this study. The residual stresses across the plates were determined using an x-ray diffractometer while hardness was measured with a Vickers hardness tester. The titanium alloy plates experienced higher than normal temperatures during the heat treatment process and this altered the physical properties. The changes seen on the hardness results were also seen on the residual stress layout of heat-treated plates. Some of the plate samples were cooled naturally in air, some in water and the last batch was left to cool down in an oven after it was switched off 2 hours after starting the heat treatment procedure. The study focuses on the physical metallurgy and residual stress of titanium before and after the heat treatment process. The parent material was ductile while the heat-treated plate samples were brittle, and these properties shaped the physical performance of these plates.