Pulsed plasma treatment of Ti-Al coatings produced by mechanical alloying method

Abstract By means of the mechanical alloying method (MA), Ti–Al coatings were deposited on Ti substrates. Then, as-synthesized coatings were treated by pulsed argon plasma with energy up to 185 J/cm 2 . Irradiation of the Ti–Al MA-coating with pulsed argon plasma beams with energy density higher than 135 J/cm 2 resulted in melting of the near-surface layer that in turn initiated the liquid-phase reaction between Ti and Al to form the Al 3 Ti compound. Melting led to smoothing of the coating structure. The coating microstructure and volume fraction of Al 3 Ti phase was conditioned by plasma energy. The thickness of the modified layer was several microns. Phase composition of plasma-treated coatings depended on its element composition. The plasma treatment of the Ti–Al–Si–C and Ti–Al–W–C coatings with energy of 150 J/cm 2 led to formation of Ti 5 Si 3 and TiC along with Al 3 Ti compound.