Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Surface modification of Ti-6Al-4V alloy by cathode assiting discharge setup and conventional plasma nitriding methods

  • Published:
Science China Technological Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In order to improve the wear resistance of titanium alloys, the potential of the plasma nitriding process with a cathode assiting discharge setup was examined. Ti6Al4V alloy was nitrided by the cathode assiting discharge nitriding (CAN) and conventional DC plasma nitriding (CPN) methods, respectively. The micro-topography, phase composition and cross-sectional microhardness distribution of two nitriding layers were studied comparatively. The sliding wear resistance of the nitriding layers was examined by a ball-on-disk test against Si3N4 balls. The results indicated that the surface roughness Ra of the CAN layer was about 1 order less than that of the CPN layer. In addition, the CAN surfaces possessed significantly greater wear resistance than the CPN layer at higher loads, and increased the wear resistance of Ti6Al4V alloy by about 2 orders due to the higher loading bearing ability, higher rate of TiN phase, greater surface microhardness and bigger microhardness improving depth. This is because the double glow discharge effect in CAN strengthened the density of the active nitrogen atoms and the nitriding efficiency. Moreover, the ion bombardment effect on the surface of the nitriding titanium alloy was reduced obviously.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Mishra S C, Nayak B B, Mohanty B C, et al. Surface nitriding of titanium in arc plasma. J Mater Proc Technol, 2003, 132: 143–148

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Man H C, Cui Z D, Yang X J. Characterization of the laser gas nitrided surface of NiTi shape memory alloy. Appl Surf Sci, 2002, 199: 388–393

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Banfield S, Avelar-Batista Wilson J C, Cassar G, et al. An investigation into the effect of Triode Plasma Oxidation (TPO) on the tribological properties of Ti6Al4V. Surf Coat Technol, 2011, 206: 1955–1962

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Bekir S Y, Ahmet Z S, Ahmed Z A, et al. Plasma nitriding of Ti6Al4V alloy to improve some tribological properties. Surf Coat Technol, 1996, 80: 287–292

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Nishimoto A, Nagatsuka K, Narita R, et al. Effect of the distance between screen and sample on active screen plasma nitriding properties. Surf Coat Technol, 2010, 205: 365–368

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Michel H, Czerwiec T, Gantois M, et al. Progress in the analysis of the mechanisms of ion nitriding. Surf Coat Technol, 1995, 72: 103–111

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Meletis E I, Cooper C V, Marchev K. The use of intensified plasma-assisted processing to enhance the surface properties of titanium. Surf Coat Technol, 1999, 113: 201–209

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Petrov G M, Zhechev D. Electron energy distribution function and electron characteristics of conventional and micro hollow cathode discharges. Phys Plasmas, 2002, 9(5): 1815–1818

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Alves C, Guerra Neto C L B, Morais G H S, et al. Nitriding of titanium disks and industrial dental implants using hollow cathode discharge. Surf Coat Technol, 2005, 194: 196–202

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Singh G P, Alphonsa J, Barhai P K, et al. Effect of surface roughness on the properties of the layer formed on AISI 304 stainless steel after plasma nitriding. Surf Coat Technol, 2006, 200: 5807–5816

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Xu Z. US Patent 4520268 and 4731539, UK Patent 2150602, Austria Patent 580734, Canada Patent 1212486, Sweden Patent 8500364-8

  12. Zhan K, Qu J Z, Chen Z Y, et al. Influence of plasma nitriding technics parameter on the substrate of TC4 modified layer thickness. Phys Testing Chem Anal Part A-Phys Test, 2008, 44: 5–8

    Google Scholar 

  13. Waite M M, Ismat Shah S. Target poisoning during reactive sputtering of silicon with oxygen and nitrogen. Mater Sci Eng, 2007, 140: 64–68

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Combadiere L, Machet J. Study and control of both target-poisoning mechanisms and reactive phenomenon in reactive planar magnetron cathodic sputtering of TiN. Surf Coat Technol, 1996, 52: 145–157

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Zhecheva A, Sha W, Malinov S, et al. Enhancing the microstructure and properties of titanium alloys through nitriding and other surface engineering methods. Surf Coat Technol, 2005, 200: 2912–2917

    Google Scholar 

  16. Adjaottor A A, Ma E, Meletis E I. On the mechanism of intensified plasma-assisted processing. Surf Coat Technol, 1997, 89: 197–203

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Xu Z, Liu X, Zhang P, et al. Double glow plasma surface alloying and plasma nitriding. Surf Coat Technol, 2007, 201: 4822–4825

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Corrosion & Protection Research Institute, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, 710072, China

    JinGang Tang, DaoXin Liu & XiaoHua Zhang

  2. Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi’an, 710055, China

    ChangBin Tang

Authors
  1. JinGang Tang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. DaoXin Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. ChangBin Tang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. XiaoHua Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to DaoXin Liu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Tang, J., Liu, D., Tang, C. et al. Surface modification of Ti-6Al-4V alloy by cathode assiting discharge setup and conventional plasma nitriding methods. Sci. China Technol. Sci. 56, 1858–1864 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-013-5252-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-013-5252-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation