Effectiveness of pulsed vs continuous electric current field in uniaxial deformation of Ti-6Al-4V

Tailoring the deformation of intractable materials such as Ti alloys, especially to facilitate the manufacture of components is a field of active research. In this study, we compare the uniaxial deformation of a Ti64 alloy in tension and compression when subjected to a combination of mechanical deformation and electric fields at low nominal current densities (1–5 A/mm²). When considering pulsed currents, we study the effect with varying peak current densities (10–40 A/mm²) at varying frequencies (10–1000 Hz). Through controlled experiments, the temperature rise of the specimens was monitored to assess the material's softening dependency on resistive heating and the influence of the electric current. Additionally, microstructural changes induced in the material post-deformation were assessed. While the microstructure of compressed samples revealed minimal changes, tension tests exhibited various fracture surface textures influenced by different electrical parameter settings. The results show that flow stress reduction intensified with increasing current density and peak current while being invariant to the pulse current frequency for the range studied, showcasing the influence of peak current and current density in the electric field assisted deformation processes. The findings of this research have significant implications for the machining/manufacturing of Ti alloy components with the help of electric field assistance.