Formation of Nitride by Electron-Beam Irradiation of Titanium in Nitrogen Media

This paper demonstrates the possibility of nitriding of titanium by a forevacuum electron source. We present an original design of the experimental setup and the measurements of the tribological properties and elemental composition of the subsurface layer of the titanium experimental sample. Raster electron microscopy analysis of the nitride sample have demonstrated that titanium and nitrogen are found to be the main chemical elements; oxygen and carbon also present, though their total concentration does not exceed 6 wt. %. The thickness of the modified layer after a 75-minute long process of nitriding was about 8 µm. Wear resistance test of have shown that the nitrided sample has a 500 times less loss of the material as compared with the original titanium sample, meaning a times-fold increase of resistance to wear.