Effect of electropulsing treatment and ultrasonic striking treatment on the mechanical properties and microstructure of biomedical ti-6Al-4V alloy

The effect of coupling process of high-energy electropulsing treatment and high-frequency ultrasonic striking treatment on the mechanical properties and microstructure evolution of biomedical Ti-6Al-4V alloy is investigated. Results show that the materials ductility under electropulsing treatment is noticeably improved while sacrificing the strength slightly. In this process, refined microstructure is obtained, accompanying by recrystallization process and weakened basal texture. Rapid improvement of microstructure and ductility in low temperature is attributed to accelerated atoms diffusion in recrystallization process with the coupling of thermal and athermal effects. Materials surface microhardness is dramatically enhanced by ultrasonic striking treatment and grain size reaches more than twice of original state. Plastic strain and phase change in the surface layer is contributed in ultrasonic surface strengthening effect. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.