Wear mechanism of TA7 titanium alloy nitrided layer

doi:10.13251/j.issn.0254-6051.2025.04.039

Abstract

Abstract: A nitrided layer was prepared on TA7 titanium alloy by plasma nitriding technology. The microstructure, hardness, tribological properties and wear mechanism of the nitrided layer were investigated by means of friction and wear testing, X-ray diffraction (XRD), hardness tester, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results show that after plasma nitriding at 800 ℃ for 10 h, the thickness of the nitrided layer is about 5 μm, which is composed of TiN and Ti₂N. The surface hardness of the nitrided specimen can reach 1183.6 HV0.05, which is about 2.6 times higher than that of the unnitrided specimen. The wear resistance of TA7 titanium alloy is improved after nitriding, as the wear rate of the nitrided specimen is reduced by more than 99.3% compared with that of the unnitrided specimen. The evolution of wear of nitrided layer is from the abrasive wear into the slightly adhesive and oxidative wear. The main phase composition of the subsurface of the nitrided layer is Ti₂N. Friction-induced periodic structure is the main wear mechanism of the nitrided layer.

Key words: TA7 titanium alloy, plasma nitriding, wear rate, wear mechanism

CLC Number:

TG156.8⁺2

Zhang Yongliang, He Ruijun, Zhu Shuo, Han Xiao, Kong Lingli, Wang Yun, Guo Kaiyu. Wear mechanism of TA7 titanium alloy nitrided layer[J]. Heat Treatment of Metals, 2025, 50(4): 252-258.

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