Abstract
The combination of laser surface texturing and heat treatment process was barely investigated in the past, particularly for improved surface characteristics of Ti6Al4V. Hereby, the important role of laser scanning and post heat treatment in improving the oxygen diffusion depth and overall surface characteristics was analyzed. Polished Ti6Al4V surface was scanned using Nd:YAG nanosecond laser and analyzed for the oxygen pickup, phase change and hardness variation. The laser textured surface was heat treated to grow oxide coating over textured surface. In comparison with heat treated surface, the synergic effect of laser scanning and heat treatment improved the surface hardness by 15% and raised the TiO2 rutile phase fraction from 0.36 to 0.73. The dual engineered Ti6Al4V surface was found to have superior HF1 quality adhesion strength along with the presence of low magnitude tensile residual stress. The increase in oxygen diffusion depth, diffusion coefficient and TiO(2 )rutile phase fraction due to synergic effect of laser scanning and heat treatment were associated to the Ti2O(3) and C doping assisted anatase to rutile transformation mechanism.
NSTL
Elsevier