HIGH-POWER ION-BEAM TREATMENT APPLICATION FOR PROPERTIES MODIFICATIONOF REFRACTORY ALLOYS

This paper reviews the basic principles and applications of high-power pulsed ion beam (HPPIB) treatment for modification of turbine engine components service properties. This process of high-energy and high-in tensity pulsed ion treatment has been evaluated for a number of titani um and nickel-iron base alloys. After a discussion of the basic phenom ena occurring at the sample surface during irradiation, results are pr esented on the surface structure, chemical and phase contaminations, a nd service properties modifications. HPPIB treatment is shown to incre ase the following characteristics of gas turbine engine compressor bla des from refractory alloys: (1) the fatigue strength (30-200%); (2) th e oxidation resistance (2-3 times); and (3) the salt corrosion resista nce (6-8 times). Tests performed on Russian engines have confirmed the improvement of the material behaviour. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A.