The Influence of the Coating Thickness on the Phase and Element Composition of a ‘Ti Coating/Steel’ System Surface Layer Treated by a Compression Plasma Flow

Abstract

The phase and element composition, microhardness of a ‘Ti/steel’ system mixed under the action of compression plasma flows have been investigated in this work. Non-Rutherford backscattering, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and Vickers microhardness measurements were used for samples characterization. The findings showed that the change of the coating thickness in the range of 0.5–5 um resulted in the Ti concentration change in the mixed layer from 4 to 30 at.%. The increase of the titanium content was accompanied by the formation of a supersaturated a-Fe(Ti) solid solution, Fe2Ti and TiN. The phase composition changes and quenching effect led to the surface layer microhardness increase.