Impact of Two Surfactants on the Frictional Properties of Micro-Arc Oxidation Coatings on Titanium Alloys

The micro-arc film-forming mechanism leads to a large number of holes, cracks and protrusions in the ceramic-like oxide film, which makes the compactness and wear resistance of the film less than ideal. By adding anionic surfactant, the microstructure of the film is improved and the friction performance of the film is improved. Methods The micro-arc oxide film layer on the surface of TC4 titanium alloy was prepared by adding AES fatty alcohol sodium ethoxyethylene ether sulfate and SDBS sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate to the electrolyte. The thickness and hardness of the coating layer were measured by digital eddy current coating thickness gauge and computerized digital microscope Vickers hardness tester, the surface and cross-sectional morphology of the film were observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM), and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) combined with X-ray energy spectroscopy (EDS) were used to jointly analyze the phases contained in the film. The types and contents of the elements were determined, the tribological properties of the film were tested by the friction and wear testing machine, and finally the incorporation mechanism and anti-friction mechanism of the particles were analyzed. Results The thickness of the micro-arc oxide coating with SDBS and AES increased significantly, and the friction performance of SDBS was better, with a friction coefficient of about 0.18, and the film was uniform and dense, with strong adhesion and strong anti-wear and anti-friction properties. Conclusion Micro-arc oxidation with appropriate addition of SDBS can improve the friction performance of the film and enhance the adhesion of the film.