Wear Resistance Of Titanium Alloy Research Articles

Microstructure and properties of novel nano-lamellar Al27Nb18(CrZr0.5)xTi55−1.5x eutectic high-entropy alloy coatings on Ti-6Al-4V alloy

The serious wear damage caused by low surface hardness and poor wear resistance of titanium alloy severely limits its further application in engineering field. In this work, novel eutectic high entropy alloys (EHEAs) were designed by means of infinite solution strategy combined with mechanical assistance to explore the application of EHEAs in the field of surface protection coating. Three types of EHEA coatings were achieved through the adjustment of the Cr and Zr element proportions on Ti-6Al-4V alloy by laser cladding. The microstructure was eutectic structure composed of Laves and BCC/B2 phases with superlattice structure. A significant presence of stacking faults, Lomer-Cottrell locks and other defects is observed within the BCC/B2 phase, which contributes to the enhancement of both microhardness and nano-hardness. Al27Cr25Ti18Nb18Zr12 coating showed excellent wear resistance and minimal volume loss, which are 0.340 (65.38 % of the substrate) and 6.71 × 10−5 mm3/N·m (16.89 % of the substrate). Notably, the three alloys exhibit interesting selective corrosion behavior, which is mitigated by the presence of a nano-lamellar eutectic structure that limits pitting propagation.

Fabrication and Tribological Properties of Diamond-like Carbon Film with Cr Doping by High-Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering

The present study aims to investigate the advantages of diamond-like carbon (DLC) films in reducing friction and lubrication to address issues such as the low surface hardness, high friction coefficients, and poor wear resistance of titanium alloys. Cr-doped DLC films were deposited by high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) in an atmosphere of a gas mixture of Ar and C2H2. The energy of the deposited particles was controlled by adjusting the target powers, and four sets of film samples with different powers (4 kW, 8 kW, 12 kW, and 16 kW) were fabricated. The results showed that with an increase in target power, the Cr content increased from 3.73 at. % to 22.65 at. %; meanwhile, the microstructure of the film evolved from an amorphous feature to a nanocomposite structure, with carbide embedded in an amorphous carbon matrix. The sp2-C bond content was also increased in films, suggesting an intensification of the film’s graphitization. The hardness of films exhibited a trend of initially increasing and then decreasing, reaching the maximum value at 12 kW. The friction coefficient and wear rate of films showed a reverse trend compared to hardness variation, namely initially decreasing and then increasing. The friction coefficient reached a minimum value of 0.14, and the wear rate was 2.50 × 10−7 (mm3)/(N·m), at 8 kW. The abrasive wear was the primary wear mechanism for films deposited at a higher target power. Therefore, by adjusting the target power parameter, it is possible to control the content of the metal and sp2/sp3 bonds in metal-doped DLC films, thereby regulating the mechanical and tribological properties of the films and providing an effective approach for addressing surface issues in titanium alloys.

Optimal lubricating protection and interfacial behavior for titanium alloy surface from phosphorus-based ionic liquids

The poor wear resistance of titanium alloy makes it challenging to develop high-performance lubricating materials. For the characteristic of highly designable structure, ionic liquids (ILs) are the potential lubricants with excellent physicochemical properties and lubricating performance. Herein, three protic phosphorus-based ionic liquids (PPILs) were designed and synthesized with the exploration of their interfacial lubrication behavior and interaction mechanism on the titanium substrate. The as-synthesized IL lubricants exhibit optimal tribological properties on steel-titanium friction pairs even at high load and temperature. The surface analysis showed that IL can form the lubricating protective film on the titanium-based metal surface, effectively reducing the adhesive wear. Combined with surface analysis techniques (SEM, XPS, FIB-TEM and TOF-SIMS), the lubrication mechanism was discussed systematically.

A Review of Research on Improving Wear Resistance of Titanium Alloys

Titanium alloy is widely used as oil drill pipe material because of its light weight, high strength, good toughness, corrosion resistance, fatigue resistance, and good process performance. However, due to its low hardness, poor wear resistance, serious oxidation at high temperature (700 °C), and difficulty in lubrication, in oil and gas field exploration and development drilling, especially in deep wells, high displacement wells, horizontal wells, and highly deviated wells, wear and tear are prone to occur. The application and development of titanium alloys are greatly limited. This paper introduces the research status of the common surface modification technologies of titanium alloys, such as laser cladding, magnetron sputtering, plasma spraying, micro arc oxidation, etc. It points out the improvement effect of various modification technologies on the wear resistance and high-temperature oxidation resistance of titanium alloys and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of various modification technologies. A proposed method for enhancing the wear resistance and high-temperature oxidation resistance of titanium alloys was finally introduced, and its potential for future development was investigated.

Effect of SiC and TiC content on microstructure and wear behavior of Ni-based composite coating manufactured by laser cladding on Ti–6Al–4V

The low hardness and poor wear resistance of titanium alloys limit their widespread industrial use. In this study, a composite coating made of Ni60, SiC, and TiC powders using laser cladding technology was used to improve the wear resistance of Ti–6Al–4V (TC4), with the microstructural characteristics, phase style, microhardness, wear behavior, and corrosion resistance studied to clarify the effects of SiC and TiC contents. The experimental results show that the main phases in the composite coatings are TiC, Ti5Si3, and Ti2Ni, which change little with changes in the TiC and SiC content. The prepared composite coatings significantly improved the hardness and wear resistance of the TC4 substrate with the 20% SiC coating showing the lowest wear rate. The main wear mechanisms of the composite coatings were the complex modes of adhesive, abrasive, and oxidative wear, and that of the TC4 substrate was microcutting. The corrosion potential (Ecorr) of TC4 is lower than that of the prepared composite coatings, and the corrosion current (Icorr) of TC4 is also higher. The corrosion resistance of the composite coatings—with intracrystalline corrosion as the primary corrosion mechanism—was better than that of the TC4 substrate.

INCREASE OF THE CORROSION-MECHANICAL WEAR RESISTANCE OF TITANIUM ALLOYS BY NITRIDATION IN THE GLOW DISCHARGE: A REVIEW OF MODERN RESEARCH

In this work, a review of modern research in the field of increasing the corrosion-mechanical wear resistance of titanium alloys using glow discharge nitriding is carried out. Titanium alloys, due to their unique properties, namely high strength, lightness, exceptional corrosion resistance and excellent biocompatibility, are widely used in aviation, medicine, engineering and many other industries. However, operational conditions in some applications require even greater improvement of the wear resistance and corrosion resistance of these alloys, which makes the search for effective methods of their improvement an urgent scientific and engineering task. Among the promising technologies that can be used to improve the corrosion-mechanical properties of titanium alloys, low-temperature anhydrous nitriding in a glow discharge should be considered. The use of low-temperature anhydrous nitriding in a glow discharge eliminates the growth of the base grain and hydrogen embrittlement of the surface. Also, low-temperature nitriding in a glow discharge makes it possible to increase the wear resistance of the surface of titanium alloys, while the saturation of the surface with nitrogen is controlled, which allows predicting the results of processing, does not lead to a change in the shape of parts. The analysis of scientific research shows that increasing the corrosion-mechanical wear resistance of titanium alloys by means of nitriding in a glow discharge is a promising direction that opens up new opportunities for industry and science. Progress in this field depends on further research, innovative development and the integration of the latest technologies, which together will contribute to the creation of more durable, efficient and environmentally friendly materials for a wide range of applications. In general, increasing the corrosion-mechanical resistance of titanium alloys by the method of nitriding in a glow discharge is a promising direction of research in Ukraine, which can lead to the improvement of the properties of titanium alloys and the expansion of their use in various industries.

Properties of laser cladding (NiCoCr)94Al3Ti3-cBN-hBN hard self-lubricating ceramic coating

Titanium alloy is an essential material for preparing aerospace engines because of its excellent performance. However, the poor wear resistance of titanium alloy restricts its further development as a critical engine material. This study aimed to use laser cladding and particle enhancement technologies to enhance the surface wear resistance of titanium alloy. (NiCoCr)94Al3Ti3+hBN, (NiCoCr)94Al3Ti3+cBN, and (NiCoCr)94Al3Ti3+hBN + cBN were prepared on the surface of titanium alloy, and the wear resistance mechanism of single-phase self-lubricating particles, single-phase hard particles, and self-lubricating and hard biphasic particles was investigated. The results showed that the microhardness of the biphase-reinforced coating was 1083.8 HV0.5, which was higher than that of the self-lubricating particle-reinforced coating and hard-particle-reinforced coating by 368.4 HV0.5 and 149.8 HV0.5, respectively. The friction coefficient of the biphase-reinforced coating was 0.4208, which was lower than that of the self-lubricating particle-reinforced coating and hard-particle-reinforced coating by 0.0224 and 0.0686, respectively. The wear rate of the biphase-reinforced coating was 0.076 mm3/NM, and the wear resistance of the biphase-reinforced coating was 3.42 and 1.37 times that of the self-lubricating particle-reinforced coating and hard-particle-reinforced coating, respectively. hBN relied on its own decomposition to promote the coating to present a layered unstable structure to achieve a wear reduction effect, cBN relied on its own hardness to resist wear and played a wear-resistant role, whereas biphase-reinforced coating had a hard wear resistance and formed a lubricating film to enhance the wear resistance of the coating. The comprehensive performance of the dual-phase wear-resistant coating reinforced by hard particles and self-lubricating particles was better than that of single-phase wear-resistant coating, providing a reference for developing wear-resistant coating integrating hardness and self-lubrication.

Enhancing high-temperature fretting wear resistance of TC21 titanium alloys by laser cladding self-lubricating composite coatings

Fretting wear is one of the main factors restricting the fastener service reliability for the high-temperature titanium alloys. Enhancing the high-temperature fretting wear resistance of titanium alloys with laser cladding coatings is an effective method. Thus, in this work, a self-lubricating composite coating was designed and fabricated on the surface of TC21 titanium alloy with laser cladding. Special attentions were made to the effect of the fractions of the hard and self-lubricating phases on high-temperature fretting resistance. In addition, the contribution of laser cladding power was also concerned. The primary phases of the self-lubricating composite coatings are α-Co, CaF2, WC, TiC and Cr23C6, and the reasons for the formation of TiC and Cr23C6 are investigated from a thermodynamic point. The prepared composite coatings are dense and uniform. The crystallographic characteristics and the volume fractions of the hard phases (WC, TiC and Cr23C6) and self-lubricating phase (CaF2) were revealed, and the effect of grain size on the coating properties was analyzed. The hardness of the coatings were all maintained around 700 HV0.2, which was significantly higher than that of the substrate. The composite coating significantly improves the friction and wear resistance at 500 ℃. The hard phase was also found to be the most resistant to friction and wear. The frictional performance of the coating gets better when the hard phase and the self-lubricating phase increase. However, the hard phase contributes more to the high-temperature friction and wear resistance than the self-lubricating phase and the wear volume is 1/40 that of substrate. For the laser cladding power, the higher power can lead to a higher fraction of CaF2 but a lower fraction of hard phase, causing a decline in COF but an increase in wear volume. The wear mechanisms of the coating and the substrate were analyzed, the subsurface stress distribution state of the wear scars were further analyzed. The current results present new insights on the anti-wear design strategy to the composite coatings consist of hard and self-lubricating phase.

Wear resistance enhancement mechanism of columnar network distributed TiBw in titanium matrix composites

To improve the wear resistance of titanium alloy, TiBw/TA15 composites with different columnar network densities were fabricated. It is shown that the wear resistance of the composite increased with the density increment of the columnar network, which could be attributed to both the refinement of matrix grains and the enhancement in hardness. To investigate the wear resistance enhancement mechanism of columnar network distributed TiBw, a novel approach is proposed for reconstructing the evolution of TiBw by observing the variation trend of TiBw from the undeformed matrix to the worn surface. This verified the load transfer mechanism of TiBw and revealed the cooperative variation of columnar network distributed TiBw to resist plastic deformation during the wear process.

Effects of Graphene Oxide on Tribological Properties of Micro-Arc Oxidation Coatings on Ti-6Al-4V

This paper investigates the effect of graphene oxide (GO) particles on the friction reduction and wear resistance of coatings on a Ti-6Al-4V alloy generated using the micro-arc oxidation (MAO) technique. Different concentrations of GO were added in aluminate–phosphate electrolyte. The composition of the MAO coatings was investigated using X-ray diffraction and the energy dispersive spectrum. Measurements of the coating’s thickness, hardness, and roughness have also been conducted. Ball-on-disk friction tests under dry conditions were carried out to reveal the tribological behavior of the MAO coating. The results showed that the coating consisted of Al2TiO5 and γ-Al2O3. The addition of GO greatly reduced the friction coefficient by 25%. The coating with 5 g/L of GO particles exhibited the lowest friction coefficient (reduced from 0.47 to 0.35). Moreover, the coating thickness become thicker (from 10 to 20 μm) with an increase in GO concentration from 0 to 10 g/L. The wear mechanism was revealed via worn surface analysis. This study provides a helpful way to improve the surface wear resistance of titanium alloys.

Co-construction of microstructure evolution and wear resistance of in-situ TiBw/TA15 composites with network structure

To further improve the wear resistance of titanium alloy, titanium matrix composites with network distributed TiBw were fabricated. Microstructure evolution and wear mechanism of TA15 alloy and 5 vol% TiBw/TA15 composites were investigated at the temperature of 25 °C and 600 °C. The wear rate of TiBw/TA15 composites at 600 °C was only 7.2 × 10−5 mm3/(N·m). Compared to TA15 alloy, the wear rate of composites decreased by 17.2% at room temperature and 38.4% at high temperature. A novel approach was used to investigate the enhancement role of reinforcement on wear resistance of composites: co-construction of subsurface microstructure evolution and wear resistance through multi-angle observation. The results showed that the improvement of the wear resistance at room temperature was attributed to the TiBw, which enhanced work hardening and improved thermal conductivity. During high- temperature wear process, the TiBw effectively hindered dislocation movement and promoted the DRX, which decreased the stress concentration caused by severe plastic deformation.

Synthesis of titanium carbide coating on Ti15Mo alloy and its tribological behaviour

AbstractTi15Mo alloy has been regarded as one of the most potential biomedical materials due to its excellent performance. However, the low hardness and poor wear resistance of titanium alloy limit the further application. Therefore, high temperature solid carburising technology was performed on the surface of Ti15Mo alloys to prepare titanium carbide (TiC) coating with graphene (G) as the carburising agent. The microstructure, mechanical properties, and tribological properties of TiC coating under different lubricants were investigated. Results showed that TiC coating was closely bonded to the titanium substrate. The maximum thickness of TiC coating treated with 1150°C was approximately 184.02 μm, and the microhardness of alloys treated with 1100°C can achieve 1221.5 HV. All modified Ti15Mo alloys showed improved tribological performance compared to the original samples. The wear mechanisms of modified Ti15Mo alloys were abrasive wear and adhesive wear under the SBF lubricant, and the TiC coating was slightly peeled off. The overall friction coefficient and wear rate under 25% calf serum lubricant were lower than the SBF lubricant, and surface scratches were almost absent, and slight abrasive wear and adhesive wear occurred on the surface.

Micro-abrasive wear behavior by ball cratering on MAO coating of Ti–25Ta alloy

Surface treatments are widely used techniques to improve the wear resistance of titanium alloys for biomedical applications. Modification by micro-arc oxidation (MAO) creates an oxide ceramic coating of alloy substrate to improve wear resistance. This work investigated the micro-abrasive wear by ball cratering of MAO coatings over Ti–25Ta alloy. For this purpose, the surfaces were worn by steel balls at a load of 2 N and a rotation speed of 200 rpm. After 50 min of testing, the depth of the wear reaches the substrate, confirming that the MAO coating has a much lower wear rate. Guided by Archard's law, the wear volume, wear rate, and MAO coating thickness were calculated through wear test.

Tribological properties of Ti-N compound layer formed on Ti6Al4V by HCD assisted plasma nitriding

In order to improve the wear resistance of titanium alloy Ti6Al4V, an adherent Ti-N compound layer was formed on it by hollow cathode discharge (HCD) assisted plasma nitriding in a mixture gas of NH3 and N2 with a ratio of 1:2. After processing at 750 °C for 8 h, a 4 µm thick Ti-N compound layer with high hardness was produced. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that this layer is composed of TiN and Ti2N. Pin-on-disc wear tester in dry sliding condition was used to evaluate the tribological properties. Scanning electron microscopic examination and EDS measurement of unnitrided and nitrided samples were performed after the wear tests. The wear resistance of titanium alloy was greatly enhanced after plasma nitriding.

Wear Mechanism of TC4 Titanium Alloy with TiN Coating against Self-Lubricating Fabric

Vapor deposition technology can improve the surface wear resistance of titanium alloys, and prepare lightweight and corrosion-resistant self-lubricating spherical plain bearings made of titanium alloys. However, titanium alloys with hard films can be worn by soft self-lubricating fabrics. This paper focuses on the wear problem of TiN coating on the surfaces of self-lubricating spherical plain bearings based on titanium alloys. Ring-to-plate wear tests were carried out to study the tribological properties of TiN coating on TC4 titanium alloy against self-lubricating fabric under different working conditions (load: 500–2000 N and speed: 100–500 r/min), along with the investigation of the wear mechanism of TiN coating, and the evaluation of applicable working conditions of GE15 type self-lubricating spherical plain bearings through swing tests. The results have revealed that TiN coatings can maintain a certain friction distance without wear. Increasing friction speed and load can make TiN coatings more prone to wear. A thick transfer film can protect the TiN coating from wear. The main wear mechanism is attributed to fatigue wear induced by the repeated formation and peeling of transfer films. The GE15 bearing has achieved a self-lubricating fabric wear of approximately 0.04 mm when the swinging for 500 m (25,000 times) is under a specific condition of 27 kN and 0.2 Hz without damaging the inner ring of the bearing. The bearing is suitable for swing conditions with applied loads below 27 kN. This study provides a fundamental understanding of designing self-lubricating spherical plain bearings made of titanium alloys.

Tribological investigations of boride layers on Ti6Al4V at room and elevated temperatures

PurposeThis paper aims to improve the wear resistance of titanium alloy using a high-hardness boride layer, which was fabricated on Ti6Al4V by a high-temperature boronizing process.Design/methodology/approachThe boride layers on Ti6Al4V were obtained at 1000°C for 5–15 h. Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive analysis and X-ray diffractometer were used to characterize the properties of the boride layer. The tribological performance of the boride layer at room and elevated temperatures was investigated.FindingsThe X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the boride layers were a dual-phase structure of TiB and TiB2. When the boronizing time increased from 5 h to 15 h, the microhardness increased from 1192 HV0.5 to 1619.8 HV0.5. At 25°C and elevated temperatures, the friction coefficients of the boride layers were higher than that of Ti6Al4V. The wear track areas of T-5 at 200°C and 400°C were 2.5 × 10–3 and 1.1 × 10–3 mm2, respectively, which were 6.1% and 2.6% of that of Ti6Al4V, indicating boride layer exhibited a significant wear resistance. The wear mechanisms of the boride layer transformed from slight peeling to oxidative wear and abrasive wear as the temperature was raised.Originality/valueThe findings provide an effective strategy for improving the wear resistance of Ti6Al4V and have important implications for the application of titanium alloy in a high-temperature field.

Microstructure and Wear Resistance of Ti5Si3/Ti3Al Composite Coatings Prepared by Laser Cladding on TA2 Titanium Alloy

In order to improve the wear resistance of titanium alloy, a Ti5Si3/Ti3Al composite coating with improved wear resistance was successfully prepared by laser cladding TA2 titanium alloy using the double-layer presetting method of Ti-63 wt.% Al mixed powder layer/Si powder layer. The microstructure, phase composition and wear resistance of the coating were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and pine-disk friction and wear method. The results show that the coating is mainly composed of the Ti5Si3 primary phase and Ti5Si3/Ti3Al eutectic structure. The microhardness of the coating is higher than that of the matrix. The average microhardness of the coating is about 668 HV0.1, which is 3.34 times that of the matrix. The coating significantly improves the wear resistance of the TA2 matrix, and the mass wear rate is 1/5.79 of that of the TA2 matrix. The main wear mechanisms of the coating are abrasive wear, adhesive wear and oxidative wear, whereas the main wear mechanisms of the TA2 matrix are adhesive wear and oxidative wear.

Effect of high-speed ultrasonic vibration cutting on the microstructure, surface integrity, and wear behavior of titanium alloy

Titanium alloys are widely used in aviation, marine, automotive, offshore, and medical fields. However, their poor wear resistance reduces the safety and reliability of components during service. Few study has been previously conducted on the wear resistance enhancement of titanium alloys (including Ti–6Al–4V alloy) processed by mechanical cutting. High-speed ultrasonic vibration cutting (HUVC) is an effective approach for improving the machinability of titanium alloys. In this study, we attempted to utilize HUVC improving the wear resistance of titanium alloys. After conducting high-speed turning (cutting speed within the range of 200–300 m/min), the surface integrities (surface roughness, microstructure, in-depth micro-hardness, and residual stress) of conventional cutting (CC)- and HUVC-machined samples were characterized. Experimental results demonstrated that, compared with CC, HUVC achieved a thicker plastic deformation layer (greater than 46.93 μm), lower surface roughness, higher surface micro-hardness (greater than 433 HV0.05), and higher compressive residual stress (up to −840 MPa). Moreover, surface nanocrystallization and gradient nanostructured layer were observed in HUVC-machined Ti–6Al–4V samples. In addition, compared with CC, HUVC effectively further reduced the friction coefficient and worn volume loss (decreased by 20.98%–25.59%) and ultimately improved the wear resistance. The hardness has a higher influence on the wear resistance of the machined Ti–6Al–4V alloy than the other surface integrity factors. Therefore, the proposed mechanical cutting operation was confirmed to improve the wear resistance of titanium alloys.

Microstructure and wear behavior of (ZrTaNb)C/N quaternary ceramic coatings prepared by double-cathode glow plasma surface alloying on titanium alloy

Multi-principal component coating is a new type of surface protection material developed in recent years. To improve the surface hardness and wear resistance of aviation titanium alloy, (ZrTaNb)C, (ZrTaNb)N and ZrTaNb coatings were prepared by double cathode glow plasma surface alloying. The microstructure, mechanical properties and high temperature tribological behavior of quaternary ceramic coatings were studied. The results show that the quaternary ceramic coating has an FCC cubic structure, which is different from the BCC structure of the ZrTaNb coating. Meanwhile, the solid-soluble C and N elements improve the surface hardness and toughness of the multi-principal component coating, resulting in a significant reduction in wear rate, which is only 1/10 and 1/5 of that of the substrate and pure metal coating (25 °C). When the temperature increases to 500 °C, the compliant islets of oxidized and compacted debris are gradually activated as a wear-resistant oxidation glaze layer. The gradient structure of amorphous-nanocrystalline composite is formed in the subsurface layer, which can effectively improve the surface strength and wear resistance. This study provides an effective strategy for improving the wear resistance of titanium alloy surface in a wide temperature range.

Creation and study of intermetallic coating of the Ni–Ti system reinforced with tungsten carbide to increase wear resistance of titanium alloy

The results of studying the intermetallic coating of the Ni–Ti system with the addition of tungsten carbide are presented. The coating was synthesized on the surface of titanium alloy VT6 using an integrated approach – preliminary deposition of a precursor coating from monometallic nickel by cold gas-dynamic spraying and subsequent laser processing. It is shown that the introduction of tungsten carbide into the intermetallic matrix provides an increase in hardness by a factor of three or more, as well as a decrease in wear intensity by a factor of 80 compared to the wear resistance of VT6 titanium alloy. A technology has been developed and a batch of steam turbine blades with a wear-resistant coating on the surface of shrouds has been manufactured.