Quasi-static tensile mechanical property of TC6 titanium alloy under low direct current

The quasi-static tensile mechanical property of TC6 alloy under low direct current is investigated in this study. The results show that the mechanical properties of TC6 can be significantly affected by the low direct currents (I<4 A, or J<66·7 A cm^-2). With the increasing direct current intensity, the ductility and the strength of the TC6 alloy are decreased apparently. It is found that the thermal stress caused by the joule heating and the 'electron wind' decreases the yield strength of TC6 alloy at the elastic deformation stage. In addition, the 'electron wind' reduces the proportion of static dislocations to mobile dislocations during plastic deformation. It drives the orientation of the mobile dislocations parallel to the direction of the electron flow, which correspondingly weakens the strain hardening effect caused by the dislocation obstructions. Furthermore, with necking in the samples occurring in advance, the elongation rate and the failure strain become far lower when the direct current is applied.