The Effect of Heat Treatment On Beta Grain Growth and Alpha-Phase Variant Selection in a Ti-6Al-4V Ingot

Beta grain growth behavior and the evolution of transformed alpha-phase variants during beta annealing and subsequent slow cool-down of a Ti-6Al-4V ingot were determined using an electron- backscatter-diffraction (EBSD) technique.  To this end the prior beta grains were deduced from room temperature alpha-phase data.   The area fraction and location of individual alpha variants with respect to the beta grain boundaries were determined in both the as-cast and heat treated conditions.   It was found that while repeated beta annealing and cooling had minor effect on the prior beta grain boundaries, it had a pronounced effect on the area fraction and the location of the alpha variants within each beta grain