Structure and properties of titanium after nitriding in a plasma of pulsed hollow cathode glow discharge

Abstract

The paper reports on a study of the structure, phase composition and mechanical characteristics of a modified surface layer of VT1-0 titanium after nitriding in the plasma of pulsed and stationary non-self-sustained glow discharge. It was revealed that after nitriding in a pulsed glow discharge, the volume fraction of nitride phase (Ti 2 N, TiN) in the surface layer of VT1-0 titanium is higher than that in the nitrited layer obtained by exposure to a plasma of steady glow discharge at the same nitriding temperatures, average ion current density at the surface and ion energy. As a result, the hardness of the surface layer of samples obtained by nitriding in pulsed discharge mode exceeds that of samples treated in steady glow discharge mode. Wear resistance of titanium after nitriding in the plasma of a pulsed glow discharge is approximately four times higher than that of titanium without treatment and 1.5 times higher than that achieved by nitriding in a steady glow discharge plasma.