Microstructure and erosive wear behaviors of Ti6Al4V alloy treated by plasma Ni alloying

Abstract

The Ni modified layers were prepared on the surface of Ti6Al4V substrate by the plasma surface alloying technique. The surface and cross-section morphology, element concentration and phase composition were investigated by thermal field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GDOES), X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. The cross-section nano-scale hardness of the Ni modified layer was measured by nanoindenter. The results showed that the Ni modified layers exhibited triple-layer structure and continuous gradient distribution of the concentration. From the surface to the matrix, they were 2μm Ni deposition layer, 8μm Ni-rich alloying layer including the phases of Ni3Ti, NiTi, Ti2Ni, AlNi3 and 24μm Ni-poor alloying layer forming the solid solution of nickel. With increasing of the thickness of the Ni modified layer, the microhardness increased first, reached the climax, then gradient decreased. The erosion tests were performed on the surfaces of the untreated and treated Ti6Al4V samples using MSE (Micro-slurry-jet Erosion) method. The experiment results showed that the wear rate of every layer showed different values, and the Ni-rich alloying layer was the lowest. The strengthening mechanism of the Ni modified layer showed micro-cutting wearing.