Modeling of wear resistance for TC21 Ti-alloy using response surface methodology

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Tribology
• Metallurgy

Background:

• TC21 titanium alloy is crucial in aerospace and biomedical applications.
• Understanding its wear resistance under varying conditions is vital for performance and longevity.
• Heat treatment is a key factor influencing the mechanical properties and tribological behavior of titanium alloys.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of different heat treatment processes on the dry sliding wear resistance of TC21 Ti-alloy.
• To determine the relationship between hardness, microstructure, and wear resistance.
• To develop a predictive model for wear rate based on experimental parameters.

Main Methods:

• Employing Response Surface Methodology (RSM) for experimental design.
• Utilizing optical microscopy (OM), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) for microstructural analysis.
• Conducting dry sliding wear tests at various normal loads and sliding speeds.

Main Results:

• Water quenching and aging (WQ + Aging) resulted in the highest hardness (49 HRC) due to alpha double prime (α″) decomposition to alpha-s (αs).
• WQ + Aging specimens exhibited the poorest wear resistance under extreme conditions (50 N, 3 m/s).
• Annealed specimens showed the highest wear resistance despite lower hardness.

Conclusions:

• Heat treatment significantly alters the wear behavior of TC21 Ti-alloy.
• Higher hardness does not necessarily correlate with improved dry sliding wear resistance.
• Optimized heat treatment parameters are crucial for balancing hardness and wear performance in TC21 Ti-alloy.