Laser assisted nitriding of Ti-6Al-4V alloy: metallurgical and electrochemical properties

The surface properties of Ti-6Al-4V alloy, such as wear resistance, are inadequate for many applications. To improve the surface properties of the alloy, many techniques have been considered. One of the promising techniques is to form a nitride layer on the surface of the workpiece by a laser beam. In the present study, laser assisted nitriding of the Ti-6Al-4V alloy surface is carried out under a nitrogen gas flow environment. A CO₂ laser is used to irradiate the Ti-6Al-4V allow surface while nitrogen is introduced co- axially with the laser beam onto the workpiece surface. The resulting surface cross section is examined metallurgically. SEM and XRD were carried out for material characterization. The study is extended to include the electrochemical response of the resulting surfaces. The surface morphology of the electrochemically treated workpieces are examined. It is found that in the laser treated region dendritic structures occur and TiN forms in the surface vicinity. The density of pit formation at the surface of the treated region reduces considerably.