Comparison based on specific strength and density of in-situ Ti/Al and Ti/Ni metal intermetallic laminates

In this work, Ti/Al and Ti/Ni metal intermetallic laminates (MILs) prepared by diffusion bonding are compared based on the intermetallic phases formed, specific strength and density. The Ti/Al MILs are characterized by the formation of TiAl3 intermetallic compound. Three different intermetallic phases, namely TiNi3, TiNi and Ti2Ni, are formed in the Ti/Ni MILs. The compression behaviour of both the laminates is anisotropic when there is a change in the loading direction and the strength increased with the increase in intermetallic volume fraction. The specific strength varied in accordance with the intermetallic volume fraction ranging from 85 to 220 kN m/kg for Ti/Al MILs and 104 to 223 kN m/kg for Ti/Ni MILs. There is a considerable reduction in the density of both the MILs when the intermetallic volume fraction increased. However, Ti/Al MILs has the lower density values ranging from 3165 to 3618 kg/m3 than Ti/Ni laminates, which has the values from 4922 to 5519 kg/m3.