Due to the unique combination of low density
and their excellent properties-profile
at elevated temperatures, intermetallic
γ-titanium aluminide based alloys are a
promising structural material for applications
in aviation and the automotive industry.
Additive manufacturing of a TiAl alloy of
nominal composition Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb (in
at. %), using electron beam melting, resulted
in a banded and anisotropic microstructure.
In this work, the present microstructure was examined by means of visible light and
scanning electron microscopy with regard
to morphology and phase distribution. Furthermore,
a three-dimensional representation
of the microstructure was generated
based on differently oriented metallographic
specimens. Phase analysis was performed
using high-energy X-ray diffraction in order
to quantitatively determine present phase
fractions and to relate them to findings from
microstructural analysis.