Anodic plasma electrolytic saturation of the Ti6Al4V alloy with nitrogen and oxygen

Abstract

Abstract The structure of the Ti6Al4V alloy, its microhardness, surface roughness, and wear and corrosion resistance after anodic plasma electrolytic saturation with nitrogen and oxidation of the surface were investigated. It was shown that an electrolyte containing ammonia and ammonium chloride provided the saturation of the alloy with nitrogen and oxygen and the formation of TiO2 with rutile structure and a nitrogen solid solution in the alloy. The treatment at 750 °C during 5 min results in an increase in microhardness up to 790 HV and a decrease in surface roughness by 1.4-fold owing to the anode dissolution of titanium. The dry friction coefficient of the samples after treatment at 700 °C can be 3.5-fold reduced through sliding with a speed of 0.144 and a load of 105 N. These regimes allow diminishing the wear rate of samples of titanium alloy after their wear testing by 2 orders of magnitude. Corrosion resistance in Ringer’s solution does not deteriorate after treatment at a low temperature, when an oxide layer forms on the surface.