Enhanced Microstructure and Wear Resistance of Ti–6Al–4V Alloy with Vanadium Carbide Coating via Directed Energy Deposition

Abstract

Ti–6Al–4V alloys are known for their suboptimal tribological properties and are often challenged by durability issues under severe wear conditions. This study was conducted to enhance the alloy’s wear resistance by forming a hardened surface layer. Utilizing directed energy deposition (DED) additive manufacturing with a diode laser, vanadium carbide particles were successfully integrated onto a Ti–6Al–4V substrate. This approach deviates from traditional surface enhancement techniques like surface hardening and cladding, as it employs DED additive manufacturing under parameters akin to those used in standard Ti–6Al–4V production. The formed vanadium carbide layer achieved a remarkable thickness of over 400 µm and a Vickers hardness surpassing 1500 HV. Pin-on-disk test results further corroborated the enhanced surface wear properties of the Ti–6Al–4V alloy following the additive-manufacturing process. These findings suggest that employing vanadium carbide additive manufacturing, under conditions similar to the conventional DED process with a diode laser, significantly improves the surface wear properties of Ti–6Al–4V in metal 3D-printing applications.

Microstructure and Wear Resistance of Si-TC4 Composite Coatings by High-Speed Wire-Powder Laser Cladding

“…The TC4 coating exhibits low microhardness and is susceptible to adhesive wear, whereas the composite coating demonstrates relatively high microhardness and is resistant to adhesive wear. The abrasive scar morphology of the coating shows more obvious furrows and detachment pits, and the furrows in the coating are short and intermittent, with obvious abrasive wear [ 12 , 46 ] phenomenon when the powder feed rate is lower than 8.43 g/min. As the Si content increases, there is a corresponding increase in the hardness of the coating, as well as an increase in brittleness.…”

“…Materials 2024, 17, x FOR PEER REVIEW 10 of 13 [12,46] phenomenon when the powder feed rate is lower than 8.43 g/min. As the Si content increases, there is a corresponding increase in the hardness of the coating, as well as an increase in brittleness.…”

“…However, the low shear strength and poor wear resistance of titanium alloy surfaces [ 6 , 7 ] shorten their service life, so improving the wear resistance of titanium alloy surfaces is of great significance for the application of titanium alloys [ 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ]. Surface modification techniques, such as laser cladding [ 7 , 9 , 12 ], are widely used to improve the surface properties of metals. Laser cladding technology has become an important modification method for metal surfaces, due to its high efficiency, low dilution rate, and low thermal impact on the substrate [ 13 ].…”