Hydrogen-induced modification of the interface between matrix and ceramic phase of (TiB + TiC)/Ti-6Al-4V

This work intends to investigate the effect of melt hydrogenation on the interface between reinforcements and matrix. A novel method for direct incorporation of trace hydrogen atoms into composites by melting alloys under a mixed gas of hydrogen and argon (termed melt hydrogenation) is used to fabricate (TiB+TiC)/Ti-6Al-4V. Experimental observations illustrate that the hydrogen optimizes interface bonding strength, which is manifested in that the load can be more efficiently transferred from the matrix to the reinforcement. It is found that the thickness of the transition layer at the interface becomes thinner as the hydrogen content increases, charac-terized by the line scan mode of the transmission electron microscope. When the hydrogen content reaches 7.87 x 10-2 wt%, the atomic arrangement at the interface gets so orderly that the interface is strictly coherent ac-cording to the orientation relationship. These findings are of great significance for revealing the optimization mechanism of hydrogen on composite interfaces.

Automated summary

This study investigates the effect of melt hydrogenation on the interface between reinforcements and matrix. A novel method called melt hydrogenation is used to directly incorporate trace hydrogen atoms into composites, which optimizes the interface bonding strength and improves load transfer efficiency. The thickness of the transition layer at the interface becomes thinner as the hydrogen content increases, and when the hydrogen content reaches a certain level, the atomic arrangement at the interface becomes orderly and strictly coherent.