In the present work, titanium carbide–titanium boride coatings are prepared on Ti6Al4V by powder immersion reaction assisted coating (PIRAC). Microstructure and phase composition of the gained surface layers are characterised by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive spectrometer. Results show that homogeneous titanium carbide–titanium boride coatings can be formed on the substrate. Phases of the prepared coatings are co-existed TiC, TiB and TiB2 and their content varies with PIRAC treatments. Hardness of the titanium carbide–titanium borides coating prepared at 900°C is about 24·5 GPa, while that of prepared at 1000°C is about 22·5 GPa and shows a larger scatter.
StraffeliniG and MolinariA: ‘Dry sliding wear of Ti–6Al–4V alloy as influenced by the counterface and sliding conditions’, Wear, 1999, 236, 328–338.
2.
LofajF, MoskalewiczT, CempuraG, MikulaM, DuszaJ and Czyrska-FilemonowiczA: ‘Nanohardness and tribological properties of nc-TiB2 coatings’, J. Eur. Ceram. Soc., 2013, 33, 2347–2353.
3.
ZhuYH, WangW, JiaXY, AkasakaT, LiaoSS and WatariF: ‘Deposition of TiC film on titanium for abrasion resistant implant material by ion-enhanced triode plasma CVD’, Appl. Surf. Sci., 2012, 262, 156–158.
4.
HolleckH, KühlCh and SchultzH: ‘Summary abstract: wear resistant carbide-boride composite coatings’, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A, 1985, 3A, 2345–2347.
5.
ZouBL, TaoSY, HuangWZ, KhanZS, S. Wu, H. Li, S. Wu, Q. Guo and B. Guo: ‘Synthesis and characterization of in situ TiC–TiB2 composite coatings by reactive plasma spraying on a magnesium alloy’, Appl. Surf. Sci., 2013, 264, 879–885.
6.
LeeKW, ChenYH, ChungYW and KeerLM: ‘Hardness, internal stress and thermal stability of TiB2/TiC multilayer coatings synthesized by magnetron sputtering with and without substrate rotation’, Surf. Coat. Technol., 2004, 177–178, 591–596.
7.
HolleckH and LahresM: ‘Two-phase TiC/TiB2 hard coatings’, Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 1991, A140, 609–615.
8.
LiJ, YuZS and WangHP: ‘Wear behaviors of an (TiB+ TiC)/Ti composite coating fabricated on Ti6Al4V by laser cladding’, Thin Solid Films, 2011, 519, 4804–4808.
9.
ZergiotiI, HaidemenopoulosGN and FotakisC: ‘Nanocrystalline growth and diagnostics of TiC and TiB2 hard coatings by pulsed laser deposition’, Appl. Phys. A, 1999, 69A, S427–S431.
10.
WolfeDE, SinghJ and NarasimhanK: ‘Synthesis and characterization of multilayered TiC/TiB2 coatings deposited by ion beam assisted, electron beam–physical vapor deposition (EB–PVD)’, Surf. Coat. Technol., 2003, 165, 8–25.
11.
HuangXG, ZhaoZM, ZhangL and ShiLQ: ‘TiC-TiB2 coating on Ti-6Al-4V alloy substrate in graded composition achieved by fusion bonding and atomic interdiffusion under combustion synthesis in high-gravity field’, Key. Eng. Mater., 2013, 537, 46–51.
12.
SarmaB, TikekarN and ChandranR: ‘Kinetics of growth of superhard boride layers during solid state diffusion of boron into titanium’, Ceram. Int., 2012, 38, 6795–6805.
13.
SarmaB and ChandranR: ‘Accelerated kinetics of surface hardening by diffusion near phase transition temperature: mechanism of growth of boride layers on titanium’, Acta Mater., 2011, 59, 4216–4228.
14.
AfaraniMS, KhorshahianS and SharifitabarM: ‘Synthesis of Ti(C, N) ceramic layer on surface of Ti-6Al-4V alloy via pack nitro-carburizing route’, Surf. Coat. Technol., 2013, 219, 94–100.
15.
MogilevskyP and GutmanasEY: ‘Reactive formation of coatings at boron carbide interface with Ti and Cr powders’, Mater. Lett., 1996, 28, 457–461.
16.
WuSJ, GutmanasEY and GotmanI: ‘Preparation of chrome carbide coatings on T/P24 by PIRAC’, Adv. Mater. Res., 2012, 452–453, 77–80.
17.
WangHH, SunSC, WangDY and TuGF: ‘Characterization of the structure of TiB2/TiC composites prepared via mechanical alloying and subsequent pressureless sintering’, Powder Technol., 2012, 217, 340–346.
18.
KnackeO, KubaschewskiO and HesselmannK: ‘Thermochemical properties of inorganic substance’, 2nd edn; 1991, New York, Springer-Verlag.
19.
TangJX, ChengJ, ZengZQ and MiaoHZ: ‘Diffusion path and reaction mechanism between Ti and B4C’, J. Inorg. Mater., 2000, 15, 884–888.
20.
SchmidtH, BorchardtG, SchmalzriedC, TelleR, WeberS and ScherrerH: ‘Self-diffusion of boron in TiB2’, J. Appl. Phys., 2003, 93, 907–911.
21.
ShingoN, YoshihikoT, MasaruY, KenH and OsamuY: ‘Fabrication and mechanical properties of titanium boride ceramics’, J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 1999, 82, 1627–1628.
