Effect of electroplating Cr coating on combustion characteristics of TC4 titanium alloy

Titanium alloys are widely used in aviation industry because of their high specific strength, corrosion resistance, and heat resistance. They are widely used in aircraft engine compressor to improve the thrust-to-weight ratio of an aircraft engine. However, they are easily burning because of their low thermal conductivity and high combustion heat. Under some conditions, titanium blades rubbing with their casees to generate a large amount of heat, and finally burns. To meet the requirements of advanced aero engines and prevent the burning of titanium alloys, we must understand the mechanism of titanium alloys combustion. In this study, TC4 titanium alloys coated with Cr coatings with different thicknesses (0, 15, 30, and 60 μm) were subjected to oxygen-enriched atmosphere under different oxygen pressures. The effect of chrome plating thickness on the combustion properties of TC4 titanium alloys was reported, and microstructure analyses were carried out through SEM, EDS and XRD. Results show that chrome plating thickness has no obvious effect on the critical oxygen pressure of TC4 when the Cr layer thickness is less than 30 μm. The pressure threshold of TC4 increases from 0.07 MPa to 0.15 MPa, when the Cr layer thickness increases to 60 μm, which is about two times higher than the pressure threshold of the substrate. Burning velocity decreases as the Cr layer thickness increases, indicating that a thick Cr layer can effectively inhibit the flame propagation speed. In the underlying action mechanism during combustion, surface Cr enters the molten pool via diffusion and melting and precipitates with Al and V in the alloy to form a Cr-, Al-, and V-rich dispersion cloth phase. The combination of Al and O is reduced, thereby hindering of O diffusion and reducing the burning rate.