Features of the Formation of Surface Layers of VT6 Titanium Alloy under N+ Ion-Implantation Conditions.

We study the effect of the implantation of N⁺ ions on the chemical composition and atomic structure of the surface layers of VT6 titanium alloy. Nitrogen is accumulated in the surface layers up to concentrations of 30 at % or more, and chemical compounds of titanium nitride TiN are formed as phase inclusions. Presumably, this phenomenon is attributed to certain chemical processes, particularly, the chemical reactivity of titanium atoms and their propensity to interact with nitrogen atoms. Although the integral concentration of oxygen in the surface layers decreases under ion bombardment due to sputtering, oxidation of the components of the VT6 titanium alloy is observed in deeper layers. Oxygen from both the natural-oxide layer and the residual atmosphere in the vacuum chamber, penetrating deeper into surface layers during irradiation, is involved in the oxidation of titanium-alloy components. The accumulation of nitrogen, the formation of titanium nitrides, and the oxidation of the components of the VT6 titanium alloy testify to the significant role of chemical processes in the formation of the structural-phase state of the surface layers of the VT6 titanium alloy under N⁺-implantation conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]