Electro-Explosive Doping of VT6 Titanium Alloy Surface by Boron Carbide

The studies carried out in this work target detection of changes in the surface layer of titanium alloy VT6 after electro-explosive alloying (EEA) by boron carbide. EEA of VT6 titanium alloy surface is the plasma alloying formed during the electric explosion of foil with the sample powder of boron carbide. Carbon fibers with weight 140 mg were used as an explosive conductor. Sample powder of boron carbide B4C was placed in the area of explosion on the carbon fibers. It was revealed that EEA of the surface layers of titanium alloy samples VT6 leads to the modification of the layer, thickness of which changes from 10 pm to 50 pm. Heterogeneous distribution of alloying elements was found in the treatment zone by the methods of X-ray microanalysis. A significant difference in their concentration in the identified layers leads to difference in their structural and tribological behaviour. It was revealed that after electro-explosive alloying the microhardness of titanium alloy VT6 significantly increases. Electro-explosive alloying leads to the formation of a structure of submicro- and nano-scale level. It allows strength and tribological properties of the treated surface to be increased.