Wear Resistance Increase in Ti6Al4V Titanium Alloy Using a Cathodic Plasma Electrolytic Nitriding

Abstract—The possibility of increase in Ti6A14V alloy’s wear resistance is shown using cathodic plasma electrolytic nitriding in a solution of ammonium chloride and ammonia. A competing effect on the surface erosion was revealed under the discharges and high-temperature oxidation on the surface morphology and roughness. The complex effect was established on the surface roughness and surface layer hardness of the titanium alloy’s wear resistance. It was determined that the highest decrease in the mass wear by 2.7 times was observed in the samples with a maximum microhardness of the surface layer, reaching 820 HV, and the lowest roughness of the surface. It was shown that the friction coefficient decreased proportionally to the treatment duration, when the surface layer was of not-too-high hardness that benefits the counterbody’s sliding motion.