Carbon Texture Formation on the Surface of Titanium Alloy Grade 5 (Ti-6Al-4V) During Finishing with Abrasive Films

This research explored the formation and effects of carbon layers on Grade 5 titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) surfaces during a microfinishing process using both traditional abrasive films and graphite-coated abrasive films. The study tried to appraise the effect of using graphite-coated films in the microfinishing process concerning surface roughness. Microfinishing with an abrasive film impregnated with diamond particles and an additional coating of graphite was performed to minimize surface roughness and enhance the overall performance of the surface. As a result, it was shown that after processing, the uniform carbon texture formed by the graphite-coated film significantly improved the lubricating and thermal properties. Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis confirmed the homogeneity of carbon distribution over the whole treated surface. Moreover, the graphite-coated films enabled us to obtain smoother surfaces with improved tribological properties. The study therefore concluded that the inclusion of graphite in the abrasive films is necessary for effecting surface modification in light of considerable improvements in surface quality and performance, especially where the wear needs to be reduced and the integrity of the surface maximized.