Microstructural response and wear behaviour of Ti-6Al-4V impregnated with Ni/Al(2)O(3) + TiO(2) nanostructured coating using an electric arc

Titanium alloys are known for their excellent corrosion resistance; however, low surface hardness results in poor wear resistance, which limits its potential application. This study employs a novel two-step process to embed a hard Ni coating containing a mixture of nanosized particles (Al(2)O(3) and TiO(2)) into the surface of the Ti-6Al-4V alloy using an electric arc produced during the inert tungsten gas welding process. The surface of the sample was evaluated using Vickers Microhardness, Scanning electron microscopy, Energy dispersive spectroscopy and pin-on-plate wear testing. Microstructural analysis showed that impregnating the titanium surface with Ni/(Al(2)O(3) and TiO(2)) nanomaterials resulted in the formation of a hard martensitic structure to a depth of approximately 2 mm below the surface. The changes observed are driven by modification of the surface chemistry and the presence of nickel, causing grain size reduction, solid solution strengthening and dispersion strengthening of the treated layer by the nanoparticles. The hardness of the treated layer increased by more than 180% when 40 nm Al(2)O(3) and 30 nm TiO(2) particles were embedded into the surface. Similarly, the wear resistance of the treated surface improved by 100%.