The low temperature tensile properties of vanadium and vanadium-rich alloys

An investigation of the low temperature tensile properties of vanadium and vanadium-rich alloys has been carried out. The metals and alloys used in this investigation were prepared in ingot form by levitation melting and casting techniques. Thin strip specimens of vanadium, vanadium-titanium and vanadium-aluminum alloys were tested in tension at temperatures from 23°C to -196°C and at a constant strain rate of 5.55 X 10⁻² min.⁻¹. The results have indicated that polycrystalline vanadium of the purity employed in this study, does not show a ductile-to-brittle transition behaviour in the temperature range investigated. The variation of yield stress with temperature for pure vanadium has been correlated to Fisher's interpretation of the Cottrell-Bilby theory of yielding. The effects of additions of titanium and aluminum on the room temperature tensile properties and hardness of unalloyed vanadium have been studied. The alloying effects were quite different from those normally observed in binary systems and have been interpreted in terms of the interaction of the alloying elements with interstitial impurities. The effect of alloying additions on the temperature dependence of yield stress have been studied in the range of 23°C to -196°C. The variation of yield stress with temperature has been found to be quite different from that indicated for pure vanadium and to be sensitive to alloy content.Applied Science, Faculty ofMaterials Engineering, Department ofGraduat