Microstructure and Corrosion Resistance of Nitrided Titanium Alloy Fabricated by Selective Laser Melting

Keywords

titanium alloy, 3D-printing, selective laser melting, nitriding, corrosion resistance

Abstract

The present study explores the potential of gas nitriding as a method to enhance the wear and corrosion resistance of 3D-printed titanium alloys for improving the durability and performance of these materials in various applications. 3D-printed titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) via the selective laser melting (SLM) method, was selected for this purpose. Gas nitriding was carried out at temperatures ranging 650…800°C for 10 hours under atmospheric pressure. It has been shown that a hardened surface layer is formed when nitrogen interacts with a titanium alloy during gas nitriding. This layer consists of an upper compound layer of TiN and Ti2N, and an underlying diffusion zone. As the treatment temperature increases, both the surface microhardness and the depth of the hardened nitride layer increase. And finally, such hardened nitride layers allow for several times improvement in the corrosion resistance of SLM titanium alloy.

References

1. Srivastava M., Jayakumar V., Udayan Y., Sathishkumar M., Muthu S.M., Gautam P., Nag A., Additive manufacturing of titanium alloy for aerospace applications: Insights into the process, microstructure, and mechanical properties // Appl. Mater. Today. – 2024. – 41. – №102581. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmt.2024.102481