Effect of α precipitation on β texture evolution during β-processed forging in a near-β titanium alloy

The effects of α precipitation on β texture development during β-processed forging in Ti–6Al–2Sn–4Zr–6Mo alloy were investigated. Typical {001} and {111} β textures of β phase were developed, and the {001} texture intensity monotonically increased with increasing deformation ratio during forging in the β single-phase region with its promotion because of dynamic recrystallization (DRX), where DRX grains inherited the crystal orientation of the parent β phase. However, the {001} texture intensity decreased, accompanied by α precipitation during forging in the (α + β) dual-phase region, where the forging was performed after cooling from the β single-phase region. DRX hardly occurred during forging in the (α + β) dual-phase region. The precipitated α phase showed strong {11–20} transformation texture according to the Burgers orientation relationship under deformation. The {10–11}<11–20> pyramidal slip system was dominant in the α phase, which is nearly parallel to several {110}<111> β slip systems. It enhanced slip transmission between α and β phases increasing the {110}<111> slip activity in the β phase and it weakened the {001} β texture intensity after α precipitation.