Effect of TiN/Ti composite coating and shot peening on fretting fatigue behavior of TC17 alloy at 350 °C

A TiN/Ti composite coating has been prepared on a TC17 titanium alloy substrate by an ion-assisted arc deposition (IAAD) technique with a view to improving the fretting fatigue resistance of the titanium alloy at 350 °C. The composition distribution, bonding strength, micro-hardness, ductility, tribological properties, and fretting fatigue resistance at elevated temperature of the coating have been investigated. The results indicate that the IAAD technique can be used to prepare a TiN/Ti composite coating with high hardness, good ductility, excellent bonding strength, and high load-bearing capability. The TiN/Ti composite coatings can improve the resistance to wear and fretting fatigue of the Ti alloy, as manifested in its excellent tribological behavior at 350 °C. However, the fretting fatigue resistance of the titanium alloy treated by shot peening (SP) combined with IAAD TiN/Ti coating post-treatment was lower than that by IAAD TiN/Ti coating or SP alone, because the compressive residual stress induced by SP was significantly relaxed during coating process and the coating easily cracked and broke off.