1.1. Avoiding α-case
Titanium alloys are susceptible to surface degradation from oxygen ingress during elevated temperature use in ambient air. Beside the formation of an oxidized surface layer, the oxygen is diffusing into the metal matrix, which may concern 10 µm, 100 µm or more penetration depth depending on time and temperature of the heat impact and oxygen atmospheric content. During oxygen diffusion (OD) the ductility of the titanium α phase is decreasing with increasing oxygen content, which may result in a deterioration of fatigue properties and reduction of life time. That is the reason that titanium materials are limited for use in the cold parts of engines, cp-titanium up to about 500 °C and titanium alloys up to about 600 °C. In the particular case of titanium alloys containing α and β phases, the dissolved oxygen stabilizes α phase, resulting in a surface layer that is rich in α phase, sometimes referred to as the α case. The term α case is also known by casting titanium alloys and implies the reactions on the surface of titanium components with environment and embedding materials during casting. Casting technologies are aiming to reduce all reactions on the surface of titanium components, because the residual reaction layers have to be extensively removed after casting [1]. Finally, every oxidation will induce an OD zone, not only during casting, also during high temperature application, thermal treatment, anodisation and glow discharge plasma oxidation [2]. Even thermal treatment in vacuum will cause an OD zone as the native oxide layer will then diffuse inside the substrate [3].