TOMSK, Nov 10 – RIA Tomsk. Scientists from Tomsk State University (TSU) studied the microstructure of titanium alloy VT6 and explained how it restores scratches; the results obtained can help in the development of methods for increasing the wear resistance of alloys, the university website reported on Tuesday.
© Валерий Доронин
It is specified that the research was carried out by the team of the TSU Laboratory for Computer Modeling and Condensed Matter Analysis. Scientists worked with samples of titanium alloy VT6 (based on titanium, aluminum and vanadium are also present).
The work was carried out within the framework of the TSU Competitiveness Improvement Program. The research results are published in the journal Metals (Q1 in the Metallurgy & Metallurgical Engineering category, IF = 2.117 for 2019).
Monitor behavior
VT6 alloy is used in many industries - from the manufacture of large-sized welded and prefabricated aircraft structures to medicine. Moreover, its use is limited by the high cost of manufacturing the resulting products by traditional methods. Therefore, many scientific teams are looking for new ways, for example, through additive technologies.
"However, the use of such technologies for the manufacture of parts from metallic materials encounters a number of problems associated with the presence of internal defects in the parts, porosity and inhomogeneity of the microstructure", - the press service said.
TSU scientists have studied the deformation behavior of alloys. To do this, they used scratch testing, with the help of which the mechanical properties of materials are controlled: they are scratched with a hard tip (indenter) with a controlled load in a hardness tester.
After that, the laboratory specialists carried out a computer simulation and explained the experimentally observed difference in the scratch profiles depending on the direction of movement of the indenter of the VT6 samples.
Results for new knowledge
"It was found that the residual depth of scratches in samples with a bimodal microstructure (from equiaxed grains of α-Ti and fine particles of α-Ti and β-Ti) is half as much as in samples with a lamellar microstructure. This is due to the fact that samples with a bimodal microstructure have a higher hardness combined with a strong recovery of the material in the area of scratches", - is said in the message.
According to scientists, the results of the work may be interesting for the field of tribology and tribotechnics. Tribology studies directly the processes of friction, and tribotechnics - their application in machine units.
"The practical significance of the research results lies in obtaining new knowledge necessary for the production of products with modified surface layers and functional coatings, which have a simultaneous combination of characteristics such as high wear resistance, hardness, thermal and electrical conductivity and low slip resistance", - summarizes the report.