The nitrogen effect on the oxidation behaviour of Ti6242S titanium-based alloy: contribution of atom probe tomography

Abstract

At high temperatures under oxidizing environments, titanium-based alloys form an oxide scale and dissolve large amount of oxygen in their metallic matrix. Oxygen dissolution is a cause of embrittlement. Nitrogen is a secondary oxidant, which also dissolves in titanium during oxidation in air. Oxidation experiments of Ti-6Al-2Sn-4Zr-2Mo-0.1Si titanium-based alloy at 650 °C for 1000 h in synthetic air (20%O 2 - 80%N 2 ) and in a mixture of 20%O 2 -80%Ar, showed that nitrogen reduces both oxide scale growth and oxygen dissolution. Atom probe tomography revealed that nitrogen effect is due to the formation of an interfacial layer of nitride Ti 2 N but also to the formation of a nitrogen rich a-Ti-based solid solution, which both act as difiusion barriers for oxygen because of their low oxygen solubility.