Effect of TiN/Ti composite coating and shot peening on fretting fatigue behavior of TC17 alloy at 350 °C

A TiN/Ti composite coating has been prepared on a TC17 titanium alloy substrate by an ion-assisted arc deposition (IAAD) technique with a view to improving the fretting fatigue resistance of the titanium alloy at 350 degrees C. The composition distribution, bonding strength, micro-hardness, ductility, tribological properties, and fretting fatigue resistance at elevated temperature of the coating have been investigated. The results indicate that the IAAD technique can be used to prepare a TiN/Ti composite coating with high hardness, good ductility, excellent bonding strength, and high load-bearing capability. The TiN/Ti composite coatings can improve the resistance to wear and fretting fatigue of the Ti alloy, as manifested in its excellent tribological behavior at 350 degrees C. However, the fretting fatigue resistance of the titanium alloy treated by shot peening (SP) combined with IAAD TiN/Ti coating post-treatment was lower than that by IAAD TiN/Ti coating or SP alone, because the compressive residual stress induced by SP was significantly relaxed during coating process and the coating easily cracked and broke off. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.