Plasma nitrided titanium and titanium alloy products
First Claim
1. A product having improved wear and corrosion-resistance characteristics comprising a surface nitrided titanium or titanium-containing alloy having been prepared by an intensified nitriding process, said process comprising plasma nitriding the surface of said product with a plasma nitriding glow discharge source while simultaneously intensifying said glow discharge with a thermionic emission source and maintaining the temperature of said surface at about 300°
- C. to about 600°
C.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to ion nitriding of pure titanium or titanium-containing alloys at low pressure by intensifying the glow discharge. Plasma intensification was produced by thermionic emission in conjunction with a triode glow discharge system. Effective ion nitriding can be achieved by employing the present invention at relatively low temperatures (480° C.) and with significantly enhanced compound layer growth kinetics compared to the conventional nitriding techniques. Processed Ti and Ti-6Al-4V developed a surface layer of TiN followed by a Ti2 N layer and an interstitial nitrogen diffusion zone. Processed specimens showed a three fold increase in surface hardness. Surface roughness was found to be a function of the degree of plasma intensification. Processing of Ti-6Al-4V resulted in a higher wear, corrosion and wear-corrosion resistance. The present invention indicates that ion nitriding with intensified glow discharge has a great potential as a surface modification method for Ti and Ti alloys. Materials nitriding by the present invention having the properties defined above are suitable for use as orthopaedic implant devices as well as other applications of titanium and titanium alloys requiring resistance to wear and corrosion.
25 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A product having improved wear and corrosion-resistance characteristics comprising a surface nitrided titanium or titanium-containing alloy having been prepared by an intensified nitriding process, said process comprising plasma nitriding the surface of said product with a plasma nitriding glow discharge source while simultaneously intensifying said glow discharge with a thermionic emission source and maintaining the temperature of said surface at about 300°
- C. to about 600°
C. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- C. to about 600°
Specification