The structure of the surface layer in titanium VT1-0 after high-cycle fatigue tests

Using the methods of optical and scanning electron microscopy, transformations that occur in the structure of commercially pure titanium VT1-0 subjected to electric-current pulse treatment and high-cycle fatigue testing to failure, were analyzed. The paper reports that as a result of the energy impact on the samples, its fatigue life increases by a factor of 1.3. It is revealed that the improvement of the fatigue life is possible due to the change in the size of crystallites in α-titanium, as well as to the decreased number of internal stress field concentrators in the surface layer. (paper)