Effect of reacted compounds in Al2O3+Ti investment mold on alpha-case formation for Ti casting

This paper proposes a newly developed alpha-case controlled mold material for Ti castings. An Al₂O₃ mold containing alpha-case reaction compounds, titanium oxide (TiO₂, Ti₂O and Ti₆O) and titanium silicide (Ti₅Si₃) was manufactured via a reaction between Al₂O₃ and Ti powder under different firing conditions in air and a vacuum. In comparison with the Al₂O₃ and Al₂O₃+Ti mold fired in a vacuum, the micro-Vickers hardness and nano indentation profiles of Al₂O₃+Ti indicated that the alpha-case thickness was significantly reduced from 350 μm to ∼45 μm. The alpha-case formation in the Al₂O₃+Ti mold was reduced due to the presence of TiO₂, which formed the TiO intermediate phase that acted as a diffusion barrier. In addition, Ti₅Si₃ was effective in minimizing Si contamination at the casting surface due to the reaction between Ti and the colloidal SiO₂ binder. Therefore, alpha-case reaction compounds, such as TiO₂ and Ti₅Si₃ in Al₂O₃, can effectively reduce alpha-case formation at the casting surface.