Room-Temperature-Nitriding of Pure Titanium Using Scanning Cyclic Press in a Nitrogen Environment

Abstract

The scanning cyclic press (SCP), developed by our team, can refine the surface microstructure by scanning a metal surface using a vibrating indenter. In this study, we aimed to develop a new nitriding technique using SCP to form a titanium nitride at room temperature. SCP was applied to pure titanium in a nitrogen environment, and observations and elemental and crystal structure analyses of the modified surface areas were conducted using an electron probe micro analyzer and transmission electron microscope. Consequently, the surface of the modified area transformed into a golden color. We detected nitrogen at the surface of the specimen and clarified that it formed a polycrystalline TiN layer with grain sizes ranging from several to a few dozen nanometers. The results suggest that the mechanical vibration induced by SCP can create a nitride layer on the surface of pure titanium at room temperature.