Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Oxygen is traditionally detrimental to ductility in titanium alloys. Recent advances have reframed oxygen as a design tool for forming beneficial microstructures and enhancing performance. Yet, its role has been mostly limited to the α phase in dual-phase α-β titanium alloys. Introducing sufficient oxygen into β when both phases coexist may unlock beneficial motifs and improve performance. We present that strategic oxygen partitioning across coexisting α and β phases enables substantial oxygen in β and triggers a β → O' phase transformation via atomic rearrangements. This O' phase acts as a precursor for stress-induced martensitic transformation (O'→α") during deformation, activating synergistic transformation-induced and twinning-induced plasticity. The resulting α-β-O' titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V-0.39O) achieves an ultimate tensile strength of 1200 ± 30 MPa, ductility of 23.5 ± 1.5%, and a strength-and-strain product of 28.2 GPa·%. Our work establishes a general principle for strategically tuning oxygen in titanium alloy design and demonstrates potential for recycling oxygen-contaminated titanium waste. This study utilizes oxygen-rich Ti powders for additive manufacturing and establishes a method for strategically tuning oxygen in multiple phases in high-performance titanium alloy design which strengthens Ti-alloys with oxygen, rather than embrittling them.
Source: Nature Communications
Institutions: University of Science and Technology Beijing, Central South University, State Key Laboratory of Powder Metallurgy, University of Auckland, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, The University of Queensland, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Physics, Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, Shenyang Academy of Environmental Sciences (China), Liaoning Academy of Materials
Language: English
Subfield: Materials Chemistry
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $6,990
OpenAlex ID: W7225178651