Mechanisms and application of strain path effect on regulation of refined and weak-textured microstructure during titanium alloy hot working process

Titanium alloys are widely employed in advanced functional components, yet their susceptibility to Adiabatic Shear Banding (ASB) under impact compromises reliability. Mitigating this requires fine-grained, weakly textured microstructures, which are challenging to achieve efficiently using conventional forging methods. This study introduces an innovative two-step forging process that actively harnesses heterogeneous deformation by modulating initial lamellar morphology. By investigating a strategy coupling pre-drawing with subsequent compression of different strain paths, the governing roles of crystallographic orientation and lamellar geometry were elucidated. Results indicate that integrating drawing with axial compression alters dominant slip modes and distribution of phase interface, thereby promoting uniform phase co-deformation and dynamic recrystallization. Based on these mechanisms, a Preferred Strain Path Forging (PSPF) scheme was developed for geometrically symmetric titanium alloy components, like shaped charge liners. Compared with multi-step forging, PSPF enables more efficient manufacturing of liners with fine grains and weak texture. Furthermore, these components demonstrate an optimized strength-ductility synergy, exceptional ASB resistance, and pronounced strain-rate hardening. The stable deformation behavior and reduced surface roughness during ultra-high strain rate cutting confirm their reliability in extreme conditions. This work validates PSPF as a cost-effective strategy for high-performance titanium manufacturing, establishing a robust theoretical foundation for industrial strain-path design.