Microstructure property relationships in Nb-Ti-Ta

The microstructures produced by conventional precipitation heat treatment of Nb-44.4 wt.%Ti-15.4 wt.%Ta have been observed and quantified. The precipitate morphology was found to be qualitatively the same as for similarly processed Nb-47 wt.%Ti providing that a prestrain in excess of 6.5-7 was applied prior to heat treatment. Heat treatments at 420 degrees C for 80 h produced approximately=10% more alpha -Ti than in the binary alloy but the J/sub c/ at 4.2 K was lower in the ternary.>