Research on the vacuum carburization process of titanium and titanium alloys

Abstract Vacuum carburizing technology is widely used to produce the carburized layer of titanium and titanium alloys. We employ X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) to examine the phase composition and microstructure of the carburized layer. Research indicates that the thickness of the carburized layer increased with higher temperatures and longer time. After carburizing at 1100°C for 7 hours, the thickness of the infiltrated layer for TA1 is more than TC4 and TA18. The surface of the carburized layer with the phase composition primarily consisting of TiC and Ti was dense and free of cracks and other defects. The proportions of TiC on the surface of TA1, TC4 and TA18 were 85%, 80% and 77%, respectively. The results suggest that TA1 is more easily carburized than TC4 and TA18, likely due to the alloying elements in TC4 and TA18 inhibiting the diindicateffusion of carbon into the matrix, resulting in a thinner carburized layer.