Enhanced wear, corrosion, and corrosive-wear resistance of the biocompatible Ti-based bulk metallic glass by oxidation treatment

Abstract In the present study, effects of the oxidation treatment on microstructures, wear, electrochemical, and corrosive-wear performances of a TiZrCuPd bulk metallic glass (BMG) were investigated. After annealing at 300 ℃ and 400 ℃, the Ti-based BMG showed Cu2O particles on the surface and ZrCu and Cu3Ti2 crystalline phases. The oxidation treatment improved the wear resistance of the Ti-based BMG under both dry- and wet-friction conditions. As the annealing temperature increased, the pitting-corrosion resistance of the Ti-based BMG in the phosphate buffer saline (PBS) was enhanced, which was mainly due to the relative enrichment of corrosive-resistant elements Ti, Zr, and Pd in the alloy surface. The tribocorrosion result showed that the corrosion- and passivation-current-density of the oxidized-Ti-based BMG under the sliding condition decreased with the increase in the oxidation temperature, which contributed to the enhanced corrosive-wear resistance.