Candidate Materials for High-Strength Fastener Applications in Both the Aerospace and Automotive Industries

There are many commercially available titanium alloys that have exhibited the capability of achieving high strength. Many of these alloys have not been seriously considered for fastener applications due to their cost or availability as coil or bar product. However, because new designs, increased material requirements, and larger aircraft are being built, the need to reduce weight and improve performance continues to be a major issue. The possibility of reducing weight by replacing currently used steel or Ni-based fasteners in various sizes is a great incentive. Over the past few years, many of these titanium alloys have been processed to bar and coil products to evaluate their capabilities as potential fastener materials. This article will review and summarize the mechanical properties, tensile, shear, notch tensile, and available fatigue, as well as the microstructure of these candidate alloys.