Nanotubular Structure Formation on Ti-6Al-4V and Ti-Ta Alloy Surfaces by Electrochemical Methods

Nanotubular structure formation on the Ti-6Al-4V and Ti-Ta alloy surfaces by electrochemical methods has been studied using the anodizing method. A nanotube layer was formed on Ti alloys in 1.0 M $H_3PO_4$ electrolyte with small additions of $F^-$ ions. The nanotube nucleation and growth of the ${\alpha}$-phase and ${\beta}$-phase appeared differently, and showed different morphology for Cp-Ti, Ti-6Al-4V and Ti-Ta alloys. In the ${\alpha}$-phase of Cp-Ti and martensite ${\alpha}^{\prime}$ and in the ${\alpha}^{{\prime}{\prime}}$ and ${\beta}$-phase of the Ti-Ta alloy, the nanotube showed a clearly highly ordered $TiO_2$ layer. In the case of the Ti-Ta alloy, the pore size of the nanotube was smaller than that of the Cp-Ti due to the ${\beta}$-stabilizing Ta element. In the case of the Ti-6Al-4V alloy, the ${\alpha}$-phase showed a stable porous structure; the ${\beta}$-phase was dissolved entirely. The nanotube with two-size scale and high order showed itself on Ti-Ta alloys with increasing Ta content.