Plasma descaling of titanium and titanium alloys

The invention provides a method of removing surface scale from a titanium or titanium alloy substrate. The method includes the steps of heating the substrate to a temperature in the range from about 100 DEG C. to about 600 DEG C., and thereafter subjecting the heated surface to a plasma formed from a gas selected from the group of consisting of CF4 and SF6. The plasma reacts with the surface scale, removing the scale, without attacking the underlying crystalline titanium or titanium alloy. Properly controlled, the plasma reaction terminates when the plasma has penetrated the scale, and encounters the underlying crystalline metal. As a result, the method of the invention is capable of uniform removal of the entire surface scale of a crystalline titanium-containing substrate, without intergranular attack of the substrate.