Oxygen Permeation Behaviors and Hardening Effect of Titanium Alloys at High Temperature

In order to improve the surface hardness and wear resistance of Ti and Ti alloy components, an oxygen permeation treatment (OPT) was developed. The oxygen permeation behaviors of three Ti alloys, TA2, TB5 and TC11, treated in air with O-P medium at high temperature have been studied. The results show that the O-P treatment can significantly improve the surface hardness of Ti alloys. The oxidation mass-gain of β-Ti alloy (TB5) is much higher than α-Ti alloy (TA2) under the same condition, while α+βTi alloy (TC11) is the lowest. All the Ti alloys treated at this condition produce two surface layers: the outer layer consists mainly of TiO¬2, as well as trace of other oxides, and the inner layer consists of a Ti-O interstitial solid solution formed by the diffusion of oxygen in α crystal lattice. Thick scales of βTi alloy (TB5) are easily formed depending mainly on the poor solid solution content of oxygen, while deep solution layer can be formed since partial β phase has been transformed into α phase. The scales of α-βTi alloy (TC11) are very thin and compact. Aluminum-rich zone, as well as deficient zone, is found in oxide layers. A crystallographic characterization of oxygen solution layer has been performed and evaluated by crystallographic lattice constant.