The effects of friction-stir process parameters on the fabrication of Ti/SiC nano-composite surface layer

Sound friction-stir processed layers were fabricated on a commercially pure titanium substrate with or without introduction of nano-sized SiC powder to the stir zone under an argon shrouding system using tool rotation and substrate advancing speeds in the range 800–1250 rpm and 35–55 mm/s, respectively. Surface layers exhibited finer grain sizes and greater hardness values compared to those of the as-received substrate. Superior surface enhancements were resulted by uniform dispersion of nano-sized SiC powder in the fabricated surface composite layer after four friction stir process passes. The fabricated Ti/SiC nano-composite surface layer showed a matrix of dynamically restorated ultra fine grains/subgrains with a mean size of ~ 400 nm and a hardness value of ~ 534 HV; this is about 3.3 times greater than that of the as-received substrate.