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TA6V (90% Ti, 6% Al and 4% V) is a titanium alloy currently used in spacecraft construction, due to its high mechanical strength and high corrosion resistance. In order to limit the damage caused by space debris, the oxidation phase during earth atmospheric re-entry has to be studied. As TA6V is used in a wide range of applications, many articles were already published on its resistance to oxidation under standard air [1-3]. However, there are only few articles on its oxidation under air plasma [4, 5]. Yet during earth atmospheric re-entry, oxygen is dissociated and diffuses more easily into the material. As titanium is highly reactive to oxygen, it can significantly modify the development of the oxide layer.
In this work, TA6V samples were oxidized by air plasma generated in the SOUPLIN inductively coupled plasma torch (60 kW, 1.8 MHz) at the CORIA laboratory. Air pressure and anode voltage are the two parameters that modify plasma intensity. Thus, one sample is oxidized by a low-intensity plasma (1410 Pa, 5 kV) and another by a high-intensity plasma (4530 Pa, 6 kV). The oxidation time is set at 1 min.
The oxidized samples were then analyzed using various complementary characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The chemical nature and the distribution of the oxides developed were studied on the surface and in the depths of the material.
- [1] Guleryuz, H., & Cimenoglu, H. (2009). Oxidation of Ti–6Al–4V alloy. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 472(1-2), 241-246.
- [2] Dong, E., Yu, W., Cai, Q., Cheng, L., & Shi, J. (2017). High-temperature oxidation kinetics and behavior of Ti–6Al–4V alloy. Oxidation of Metals, 88, 719-732.
- [3] Rajabi, A., Mashreghi, A. R., & Hasani, S. (2020). Non-isothermal kinetic analysis of high temperature oxidation of Ti–6Al–4V alloy. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 815, 151948.
- [4] Balat-Pichelin, M., & Lucile, B. (2020). Behavior of TA6V Alloy at High Temperature in Air Plasma Conditions: Part 1—Oxidation. Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance, 29(7), 4597-4605.
- [5] Balat-Pichelin, M., Annaloro, J., Barka, L., & Sans, J. L. (2020). Behavior of TA6V alloy at high temperature in air plasma conditions: part 2—thermal diffusivity and emissivity. Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance, 29(7), 4606-4616.
