Effects of Ti, Ni, and Dual Ti/Ni Plasma Immersion Ion Implantation on the Corrosion and Wear Properties of Magnesium Alloy

Ti, Ni, and Ti/Ni plasma immersion ion implantation is carried out on the AM60 magnesium alloy with a 6 × 1016 ions/cm2 fluence and energy of 35 keV. The corrosion and wear properties of the ion-implanted samples are determined systematically by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, electrochemical methods and wear tests. A Ni-rich layer composed of α-Mg, Ni2O3, and NiTi2 is formed on the surface after dual Ti/Ni ion implantation, and the ion implantation range is approximately 300 nm. The corrosion resistance of the Ni- and Ti/Ni-implanted AM60 samples is significantly reduced in the 3.5% NaCl solution. However, NiTi2 does not adhere well to the grinding ring during the wear test due to the bonding properties, and the sample implanted with both Ti and Ni shows the best wear resistance.