The age hardenability of 22 karat gold (Au-5.8wt.%Cu-2.5wt.%Ag) alloyed with titanium

Abstract

The age hardenability of 22 karat gold (Au-5.8wt.%Cu-2.5wt.%Ag) alloyed with Ti at various concentrations (0.5, 0.75, and 1 wt.%) was studied. The addition level of Ti is compensated with Ag to maintain the purity of gold in 22 karat, i.e., 91.75 wt.%. The Ti containing 22 karat gold was prepared by melting Au, Cu, and Ag and adding Ti via Au-6wt.%Ti master alloy. The castings obtained were cold-rolled into thin sheet (90% reduction). Both the cast and cold-rolled sheets were subjected to age hardening treatment (solutionizing and artificial aging). Artificial aging was performed as a function of time at 550 °C to identify the peak aging. At all addition level of Ti, the 22 karat gold responded well to the age hardening treatment. The cold-worked sheet samples showed faster peak aging within 30 min. and higher peak hardness than their cast counterpart. Increasing the Ti concentration increases the peak hardness of both cold-rolled sheet and casting samples. Transmission electron microscopic analysis of the peak aged cold-rolled sheet samples shows uniformly distributed coherent Au₄Ti precipitates in Au matrix which contribute to the higher hardness.