Effect of annealing on structure and hardness of oxygen-implanted layer on Ti6Al4V by plasma-based ion implantation

Ti6Al4V was treated by oxygen plasma-based ion implantation at the voltage pulses of -30 and -50 kV with a constant fluency of 0.6 x 1017 O/cm2. After implantation, the annealing in vacuum was applied to the implanted samples to control phase structure of the implanted layer. The higher voltage implantation forms nano-size rutile in the implanted layer, but the subsequent annealing at 600 deg. C induces the resolution of the previous rutile. Although, the lower voltage implantation does not lead to rutile, the annealing can precipitate anatase and rutile in the implanted layer. The higher voltage implantation results in a higher hardness of the implanted layer. The annealing at 500 deg. C leads to an apparent increase in hardness of the implanted layer, but the annealing at 600 deg. C induces a rapid decrease in hardness.