Preparation and Tribology of Textured Ti-6Al-4V with Thermal Oxide Coating

Abstract

This study investigates the tribological properties of Ti-6Al-4V alloy treated with single laser texturing, single thermal oxidation, and laser texturing combined with thermal oxidation in a PAO6 oil environment. The surface morphology, cross-sectional morphology, surface chemical composition, microhardness, wettability, and wear surface morphology were analyzed using a three-dimensional profiler, scanning electron microscope, electron spectrometer, X-ray diffractometer, micro-Vickers hardness tester, and optical contact angle measuring instrument. The results indicate that combining laser texturing with thermal oxidation treatment enhances groove edge hardness to approximately 1932 HV0.2, due to the synergistic effects of laser-induced heat-affected zones and the formation of high-hardness rutile phase TiO2. Simultaneously, the treatment effectively enhances the wettability of PAO6 oil on the surface. Furthermore, the composite-treated surface combines the oil reservoir and debris-trapping capabilities of a single laser-textured surface with the excellent load-bearing capacity of a single thermally oxidized surface. This enhancement improves the durability and reliability of the groove-type texture, leading to reduced material loss and a diminished wear rate, and significantly improving the surface wear resistance of Ti-6Al-4V alloy.