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Ni-Ti surface alloy was prepared by ion-implanting Ni into Ti. The surface film was amorphous having a Ni surface content of 10-40 at. %. The material was compared with a Ni-Ti bulk alloy (44.08:55.9) regarding their redox and electrocatalytic behavior in NaOH by cyclic voltammetry. The surface was characterized by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, x-ray and electron diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The ion-implanted material revealed an enhanced activity toward the redox conversion of Ni(OH)2 ↔ NiOOH and the anodic oxidation of glucose. The effect is discussed considering the enhanced generation of active Ni surface sites from amorphous Ni and the stabilization of higher valence Ni by Ti. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to apply the protective effect of Cl doping for high-temperature oxidation resistance of TiAl alloys of complex-shaped parts, plasma immersion ion implantation (PI3) of chlorine into technical TiAl alloys was investigated. A specialized PI3 apparatus was optimized for the strongly etching electronegative Cl plasma. Plasma diagnostics was performed using a Langmuir probe. In order to sustain a sufficiently dense plasma, different RF antenna configurations are discussed and the resulting densities are compared. The influence of plasma pulsing on the surface interaction of Cl during the process was evaluated. Two different commercial alloys were implanted and tested. The resulting depth profiles of the modified surface layer were investigated using depth profiling with Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). After implantation, the Cl is located close to the surface. Oxidation tests at 900 °C in air for 100 h showed a strong decrease in oxidation, which is comparable to conventional beamline implantation of Cl. The effect is rather independent of the alloy composition. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Discusses the enhanced corrosion resistance of austenitic stainless steel by plasma immersion ion implantation of nitrogen. Application of negative high voltage pulses to a target immerses in nitrogen ions-containing plasma; Comparison of the behavior of the austenitic stainless steel surface before and after plasma immersion ion implantation treatment; Suggestion that the effect is likely to be associated with a barrier layer produced by the plasma immersion ion implantation that restricts the access of electrolyte to the underlying alloy surface.

Abstract: Metal plasma immersion ion implantation and deposition (MePIIID) has been proved to be an effective approach to enhance surface properties of various types of materials. In this work structure, phase composition, microhardness and surface properties, such as wettability and surface energy of layers of the ternary system Ti–N–O produced by MePIIID were investigated. To study the correlation between structure of coating and hemocompatibility the thrombocyte adhesion as well as the fibrinogen adsorption on the surface were measured. The blood compatibility of Ti oxide can be improved by the addition of nitrogen into the layer. The thrombocyte adhesion and fibrinogen adsorption were lower for TiN x O y than for TiO2. This correlates with a lower hydrophobicity and higher polar component of the surface energy for TiN x O y . The best hemocompatibility as well as the maximal microhardness have been found for the coating TiN0.4O1.6. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: TiN and Ti1−x Al x N coatings were deposited on Al substrates using the plasma immersion ion implantation and deposition technique, employing a filtered Ti and Ti0.5Al0.5 cathodic arc in a nitrogen atmosphere. Negative pulsed bias voltages between 0 to −4.0 kV were applied with varying duty cycles, at a constant time-averaged bias. Stress measurements using X-ray diffraction reveal an increase and then a decrease in the intrinsic compressive stress at increasing on-time bias, more pronounced for Ti1−x Al x N coatings. A bias dependent preferred orientation is observed for both the coatings, with [200] being the preferred orientation at higher bias. The hardness always reduces for TiN coatings with increase in bias, whereas for Ti1−x Al x N it shows a reverse trend. The results are qualitatively explained by the role played by Al in Ti1−x Al x N. The results indicate that the peak bias plays a more dominant role than time averaged bias. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Plasma immersion ion implantation-assisted deposition has been employed to develop Ti based coatings in the presence or absence of a reactive nitrogen environment. When TiN coatings have been developed on Al alloys, it has been observed that a large compressive stress develops in the coating, which can be reduced when the substrate bias is increased. The formation of stress is attributed to atomic peening effect that densifies a coating, whereas thermal spikes generated at high substrate bias reduce the stress. For TiAl coatings delivered from an alloy plasma source, the Al content decreases with increasing negative substrate bias. This is in agreement with the results of TRIDYN ballistic computer simulations, which confirm that the film composition is significantly influenced by preferential sputtering. The results indicate that time-averaged substrate bias is an ill-defined parameter to describe coating properties deposited by the above technique. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Ion implantation manufacture of superconducting magnesium diboride films of the MgB2 stoichiometry (B:Mg=2:1 composition) by boron implantation in Mg wafers requires a precise knowledge of the implantation process properties, in particular of the partial sputtering yields of Mg atoms by B ions. To verify these yields experimentally we deposited thin Mg films on glassy carbon platelets and implanted them with high fluences of 40, 60, and 80 keV B+ ions. He-backscattering (RBS) spectrometry was used to determine before- and after-implantation depth profiles of Mg and B. The sputtering yields turned out to be small enough (<0.1 atoms per ion) to neglect sputtering in simulations of the implanted profiles. The results of the simulations have been compared to RBS spectra recorded on samples treated with 3 energies/fluencies optimised for a wide plateau of the B:Mg=2:1 stoichiometric composition. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: AISI-304 austenitic stainless steel has been nitrocarburized in N2 and C2H2 ambient using high-voltage plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) technology. The use of different PIII treatment times revealed important hints with respect to the microstructural, mechanical and corrosion properties of the nitrocarburized layer. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) shows the presence of nitride (γ N and CrN) and carbide (γ C and Fe3C) phases. Glow discharge optical spectroscopy (GDOS) has been used to characterize the elemental depth profiles in which the thickness of the modified layers is derived. Dynamic microindentation method is used for the study of mechanical performance of the nitrocarburized layer as well as the untreated material. The microhardness has been increased to a maximum value of more than nine times compared to that of the untreated one. The corrosion performance is characterized by potentiodynamic polarization technique and was found to be treatment time dependent. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Mg ion implantation into boron substrates followed by pulsed Ar plasma treatment was used to form MgB2 compound. Rutherford Backscattering (RBS) analysis of the best samples revealed that the ratio of atomic concentration of Mg to B atoms could be close to the stoichiometry of MgB2 in the range of about 100 nm beneath the surface. Results of magnetically modulated microwave absorption (MMMA), magnetic moment and electrical conductivity measurements indicate the presence of superconductive grains with critical temperature T c =25 K. A gradual onset of microscopic percolation is inferred starting from 15 K although no full percolation has been reached. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Superconducting regions of magnesium diboride (MgB2) on magnesium substrate were formed by the combined methods of ion implantation and transient annealing using three different ion fluences and three different energy density of Ar plasma pulses. The samples were characterized by Rutherford back scattering (RBS) and superconductivity detection techniques. The results of these characterizations are presented and discussed. The highest critical temperature observed T C=33.8K. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: For hardness measurements, the indentation depth is about 10% of the effective information depth under static loading. A change of the wear mechanism is observed under lateral loading conditions in oscillating ball-on-disc tests for nitrided austenitic stainless steel with an expanded austenite surface layer from abrasive to a subsurface plastic flow with a redistribution of the inserted nitrogen. This leads to an effective nitriding depth about 3–5 larger than the actual nitrided zone. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Mechanical and tribological properties of successive C and N ion implantation into Al were studied in the present work. Ion sequence, substrate temperature and subsequent thermal treatment were performed in order to understand the involved mechanisms on the surface hardening. The results showed that independent of the ion sequence, a higher surface hardness is obtained for room temperature ion implantation (≈10 GPa). At high substrate temperature the hardness decreases to 7 GPa. The hardening mechanisms are discussed in terms of: solid solution, hard embedded precipitates in the soft Al matrix and the damage produced by the ion implantation process. Adhesive and abrasive regimes are identified from the friction coefficient profiles and are function of the ion implantation parameters. Wear resistance is improved if subsequent thermal treatment at high temperature is performed. Wear improvement is correlated to the presence of a high concentration of carbon clusters in the Al matrix. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Aluminium carbide nucleation and growing kinetics is correlated to the mechanical properties (hardness and elastic modulus), and to the friction coefficients as a function of carbon ion implantation parameters on aluminium. The microstructure of the modified surface was studied by: a) Elastic Recoil Detection Analysis (ERDA), b) Grazing Incidence X-ray Diffraction analysis (GIXRD) and c) Raman spectroscopy. Hardness and elastic modulus profiles were measured by instrumented nanoindentation technique. Pin-on-disc technique in reciprocal scratch mode was employed to obtain the friction coefficient profile. For low carbon fluences (≤2×1017 C+ cm−2) small size (≈4 nm) embedded Al4C3 precipitates were produced. Higher carbon fluences create an amorphous-like structure. Implantations performed at high substrate temperatures can produce big size precipitate (≈40 nm). Surface hardness increases as a function of carbon fluence resulting in values of about 6 GPa (20 times Al bulk value). The hardening mechanisms are associated with dislocations to precipitates bowing and/or cutting processes. Implantation parameters ruled the mechanical properties. Tribological responses are more difficult to correlate to the ion implantations conditions. However, wear is reduced when highly disordered C–C cluster are present. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Layers of Ti nitride, Ti oxynitrides TiN x O y and Ti oxide were produced by means of metal plasma immersion ion implantation and deposition (MePIIID) from a plasma produced by cathodic arc evaporation of Ti under addition of nitrogen and/or oxygen to the ambient near the substrate. The phase composition and structure of the layers are strongly dependent on the relation of the gases partial pressure. To study the correlation between blood compatibility and physical properties of the coating the thrombocyte adhesion and fibrinogen adsorption on the surface as well as wettability and surface energy were investigated. Thrombocyte adhesion and fibrinogen adsorption are lower for TiN x O y than for TiO2. This correlates with a lower hydrophobicity and higher polar component of the surface energy for TiN x O y . [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this work, nitrogen plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) treatment of austenitic stainless steels 1.4301 and 1.4571 was performed to investigate the influence of the process conditions on the corrosion properties. Short treatment, high voltage and high temperature result in a decreased corrosion potential while no correlation to layer thickness, nitrogen concentration or lattice expansion was found. Except for the possibility of small CrN agglomerates at high temperatures, no direct explanation for the results can be provided and it is argued that intrinsic stress accumulation and relaxation may be responsible. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The hard Ti-based coating TiAlN has been produced by plasma immersion ion implantation-assisted deposition (PIIIAD) on austenitic stainless steel. In PIIIAD, the substrate is exposed to cathodic arc plasma comprising of metallic ions corresponding to the cathode composition, and the substrate is biased pulsed negative. The pulsed bias of the substrate renders alternate phases of deposition (during the bias off time) and implantation and deposition (during bias on time), thereby controlling deposition temperature, reduction of compressive stresses, increase of crystallinity and enhancing adhesion of coating to substrate. The deposition has been carried out in a neutral as well as reactive nitrogen environment, which leads to nitrogen-containing coatings. In addition to TiAlN, also, Ti, TiN and TiAl were produced to investigate the effect of the different elements. All the coatings are tested for their suitability as biocompatible coatings, and hence, the adherence of osteoblast progenitor cells to these coatings was investigated in correlation with deposition parameters and surface morphology. The results identify the coatings that are wear resistant and suitable for orthopaedic implants. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: As an effort to improve the corrosion behavior of the mild steel under work conditions, we attempted to produce a high chromium content layer on its surface by applying the recoil implantation process. After polishing, SAE 1020 construction steel samples were covered with chromium and then bombarded with ions. As recoil bombarding atom, we used nitrogen, a light mass specimen. Recoil atoms were applied either by ion beam (IB) accelerator or by plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) method. Samples treated by the PIII process showed better results, presenting a thicker layer of high Cr content, as measured by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). The presence of nitrogen, from hitting process, caused little effect on the surface hardness, as SAE 1020 steel is not suitable for nitriding hardening. Corrosion tests of the PIII-treated samples showed significant enhancement in the steel behaviour under chloride medium attack. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A significant wear reduction by several orders of magnitude is the common result for austenitic stainless steels after energetic nitrogen implantation at medium temperatures around 380 °C. In contrast, martensitic stainless steels are rarely investigated. In this investigation, one steel grade, stainless steel AISI 630/DIN 1.4542, is treated using low energy nitrogen implantation at 380 and 600 °C, high voltage nitrogen plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) and combined carbon/nitrogen PIII at 380 °C. Using PIII, an expanded martensitic lattice extending several micrometers into the sample was observed, whereas Fe4N and CrN were formed after low energy implantation at 380 and 600 °C, respectively. All samples show a hardness of up to 2000 HV and a wear reduction by two orders of magnitude. Additional metallographic cross-sections confirm the microstructure derived from XRD data. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The experiments to synthesize thin MgB2 inter-metallic compound with the use of ion implantation and plasma pulse treatment are presented. Mg was implanted with 3×1018 cm−2 of 80keV and 5×1018 cm−2 of 100keV B+ ions and next treated with hydrogen and argon plasma pulses of duration of about 1μs and fluence between 2 and 4J/cm2. Superconducting properties were examined by magnetically modulated microwave absorption (MMMA), magnetic moment and electrical conductivity measurements. The structural properties of the implanted and pulse-treated samples were examined by the X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Rutherford backscattering (RBS) methods. The main result consists in observation of MMMA hysteresis loop demonstrating the existence of superconducting regions with T c as high as 32K. However, the zero-resistance effect has not been obtained due to incomplete global connectivity between the superconducting regions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This work presents selected results from carbon ion implantation into pure Al matrix. The carbon ions were implanted with an ion energy of 25 keV and fluences of 1×1021 and 2×1021 C+/m2 at room temperature (RT) and elevated temperature of 400 °C. Elastic recoil detection analysis (ERDA), grazing incidence X-ray diffraction analysis (GIXRD), Raman spectroscopy and high resolution electron microscopy (HRTEM) show the formation of embedded Al4C3 precipitates with carbon concentrations below its stoichiometric level. At RT ion implantation, the Al4C3 precipitates have an average grain size in the order of 2–4 nm. For carbon ion implantation at 400 °C, the precipitates grow up to approximately 20 nm in diameter and are randomly distributed in the implanted region. The carbon excess, not bound in the Al4C3 precipitates, forms highly disordered C–C clusters of approximately 0.2–0.4 nm in size. Implantation at a temperature of 400 °C reduces drastically the carbon clusters content due to the growth of the Al4C3 precipitates. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) has been used to modify the surface properties of 304 austenitic stainless steel (AISI). The influence of working gas pressure, 0.2–1.0 Pa, and substrate temperature, 300–500 °C, on the microstructure, treating rate, nitrogen/carbon concentration depth profile, and surface microhardness was investigated. A gas composition of 25% C2H2, 75% N2, r.f. plasma power input of 350 W, and a negatively biased potential of 30 kV were fixed during the experiment. The experimental results show that the substrate temperature and the diffusion process of nitrogen and carbon depend on the gas pressure inside the plasma chamber. The thickness of the modified layer has been found to be more than 30 μm for samples were treated in the plasma for 60 min. The results show also that the values of diffusion coefficient and surface microhardness of the treated samples are high to be 3.4×10−1 μm2/s and 1880 kg/mm2, respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Coating with titanium oxides is a promising method to improve the blood compatibility of materials to be used for medical implants. Ti oxide layers were deposited on oxidized Si from a plasma produced by cathodic arc evaporation under addition of oxygen to the ambient near the substrate. In dependence on the deposition parameters amorphous and nanocrystalline structures, crystalline layers composed of anatase and brookite as well as layers dominated by the rutile phase have been obtained. The activation of the plasmatic clotting cascade was only minimally influenced by the crystal size and the crystallite structure of the titanium oxide films. As a trend, amorphous, nanocrystalline and fine-grained layers show higher clotting times than well crystallized rutile films. Ion implantation of Cr or P strongly influences the clotting time. Contrasting tendencies in the dependence of clotting time and platelet adhesion on the microstructure of the Ti oxide have been found, however, for P+-doped rutile both, enhanced clotting time and improved platelet adhesion, are observed. Platelet adherence and activation always show similar trends. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Moulds for light-alloy die casting are usually made of TiN-coated AISI H13 tool steel. During operation, such moulds undergo wear caused by mechanical action of light alloy injected under a high pressure, corrosive attack of the alloy, thermal cycling, and high-temperature corrosion (oxidation). Recently, it has been shown that Ti–Si–B–N coatings prepared by reactive sputtering from the multi-element Ti–Si–B targets exhibit excellent resistance to high-temperature corrosion. However, such targets are difficult to obtain and handle, and it would be advantageous to develop an alternative way of introducing Si and B into conventional TiN coating. In this study, ion implantation of Si and B into TiN coating on H13 steel was used. The ion energies were selected to give roughly the same range for B and Si ions: 80 and 200 keV, respectively. The doses ranged from 5×1016 to 2×1017 cm−2 for each kind of ions. The implanted samples were analysed by RBS, thermogravimetry, and wear tests. It is shown that B+Si implantation reduces oxidation rate of TiN at 630°C by a factor between 4 and 10. Moreover, the RBS results suggest that the observed enhancement of the oxidation resistance may occur even for much lower implanted doses. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Ti1−xAlx thin films were deposited on stainless steel substrates using plasma immersion ion implantation and deposition (PIIIAD). A cathodic arc was employed as a source of metallic ions from Ti0.5Al0.5 cathode and the arc plasma was guided by a curved magnetic field filter. The resultant thin films were analyzed using Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and X-ray diffraction techniques. A dynamic profile simulation code, TRIDYN, based on binary collision approximation was applied to understand the Ti and Al profiles in the deposited thin film. The results indicate that the film composition and phase formation depend on the applied bias, duty cycle and off time energy of the bombarding ions. The results also indicate that in PIIIAD conditions, the assumption of time averaged d.c. bias is improper to describe pulsed biasing, with deposition, resputtering and ion implantation all occurring simultaneously. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Ion implantation of Ca and/or P into Ti or Ti alloys is of interest in order to enhance mechanical properties and biocompatibility for medical applications. In this study, the microstructural changes of the implanted surface layer were studied. Surface near implantation of high doses of calcium results in an oxidation of the modified layer and the formation of CaO. For deeper calcium implantations, precipitation of the metastable hexagonal modification of calcium has been observed instead of the cubic equilibrium phase. Besides these new phases, partial amorphization is observed. High dose implantation of phosphorus leads mainly to amorphization of the implanted layer. This hinders the reaction with oxygen during implantation and room temperature aging. High dose double implantation with P followed by Ca also leads to partial amorphization. No indication for new phases containing Ca and P is found. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Surface coating with hydroxyapatite (HA) is a common way to improve the osseointegration of orthopaedic and dental titanium (Ti)-based materials. The main problems with current techniques are changes in composition during heating and poor adhesion to the surface. An alternative method is deposition of HA onto an activated surface out of a solution. The present work studies the surface treatment involving ion implantation of Na into Ti to induce a modification in chemistry and morphology, showing sodium titanate (Na2TiO3) incorporated within the surface layer with concentration, depth distribution, and morphology depending on the parameters of the ion implantation. Such ion-implanted Ti surfaces actively induce heterogeneous precipitation of HA from a simulated body fluid containing physiological concentrations of calcium and phosphate ions. This is compared with the activation by NaOH etching. The growth of bone forming cells on the pure Na implanted surface is oriented without an increased bone formation. Cell growth on the NaOH etched surface is reduced. After deposition of HA on both surfaces cell the growth pattern was improved. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Thin YSi2−x layers are formed by 195 keV Y ion implantation in Si(111) substrates to a dose of 2×1017 Y+/cm2 at 500 °C followed by annealing in nitrogen atmosphere at different temperatures for 1 h. The investigation of the phase composition is carried out by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), whereas the structural characterization is accomplished by means of both X-ray diffraction (XRD) pole figure and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (XTEM). The results show that the YSi2−x layers grown on the Si has the epitaxial relationship of YSi2−x (0 0 0 1)//Si(111) and YSi2−x [1 1 − 2 0 ]//Si [110]. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) of nitrogen on AISI 316L austenitic stainless steel has been investigated at four different negative implantation biases (5, 10, 15, 20 kV) and two different pulse-on-times (5 and 10 μs) for developing a nitrogen/nitride-rich corrosion resistive layer. Post implanted specimens were examined by X-ray diffraction, and subjected to potentiodynamic polarization tests in 1 wt.% NaCl solution. PIII at −15 kV shows significant and optimum improvement in corrosion resistance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]