The effects of gas nitriding on fatigue behavior in titanium and titanium alloys

Fatigue behavior has been studied on gas-nitrided smooth specimens of commercial pure titanium, an alpha/beta Ti-6Al-4V alloy, and a beta Ti-15Mo-5Zr-3Al alloy under rotating bending, and the obtained results were compared with the fatigue behavior of annealed or untreated specimens. It was found that the role of the nitrided layer on fatigue behavior depended on the strength of the materials. Fatigue strength was increased by nitriding in pure titanium, while it was decreased in the Ti-6Al-4V and Ti-15Mo-5Zr-3Al alloys. Based on detailed observations of fatigue crack initiation, growth, and fracture surfaces, the improvement and the reduction in fatigue strength by nitriding in pure titanium and both alloys were primarily attributed to enhanced crack initiation resistance and to premature crack initiation of the nitrided layer, respectively.