Comparison of Ignition Process and Thermodynamic Conditions of TC4 and TC17 Alloys Under High-Speed Rubbing Ignition

This study investigates the combustion characteristics and critical thermodynamic conditions for the ignition of TC4 and TC17 alloys under high-speed friction conditions. The results indicate that, under identical rubbing conditions, both the critical pressure and the ignition temperature of the TC17 alloy are higher than those of the TC4 alloy. The critical ignition conditions for both alloys increase with thickness, while they decrease with increasing rotational speed, oxygen concentration, and oxygen pressure. The primary characteristics in the initial stage of friction ignition are abrasive and adhesive wear. As the duration of friction increases, material from the friction surface begins to peel away, creating favorable conditions for ignition. At the moment of ignition, significant peeling occurs, along with visible cracks and molten structures, resulting in the production of a substantial amount of titanium oxide on the friction surface. Based on the ignition theory proposed by Frank-Kamenetskii, the reaction order, adsorption coefficient, pre-exponential factor, and activation energy of the ignition criterion under high-speed friction conditions were determined by fitting and analyzing the experimental results. The ignition temperatures of the TC4 and TC17 alloys at different speeds were predicted with a relative error of less than 2.06%. This demonstrates that the Frank-Kamenetskii model can be utilized to explain the critical ignition conditions of titanium alloys under high-speed rubbing conditions.