Experimental research on powder-mixed near-dry electrical discharge surface modification of Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy

This article presented a new method of electrical discharge surface modification. Liquid–gas–powder mixture was used as dielectric in the process. In this research, the B4C particles and deionized water mixture took part of the misted discharge medium. Via the modification process, the tool electrode and Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy generate metallurgy reaction. The experimental investigation analyzed the influence of electrical discharge current, pulse on time, pulse interval, polarity and electrode on modification layer microstructure of Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy. At the same time, micro-hardness tests and wear tests were also conducted to evaluate the process of the effects of surface modification. The experimental revealed that the hardness of the modification layer is about three times as much as that of the substrate and the wear-resistant property is almost three times as much as that of the substrate.