Desenvolvimento de processo para enriquecimento de superfície através da aditivação de titânio por mecanismo de sputtering

Abstract

The objective of this work was to develop an equipment to enrich the surface of a metallic substrate by vaporizing titanium atoms in a sputtering process. This process aims to bring a new method of performance improvement of low-cost materials in applications where it is required high hardness and/or low coefficient of friction. The project was developed in partnership with the company SDS Plasma, which operates in the manufacture of reactors for plasma nitriding, and the proposed equipment is a modified nitriding reactor, so that it can be used in both nitriding processes of parts as in the process of superficial enrichment proposed in this work. After the construction of the reactor, tests were performed to concentrate plasma in order to generate higher sputtering rate in the enrichment material (titanium). For plasma generation, a voltage source is still pulsed. Tests were also performed to determine a position and polarity arrangement of the part and the target to achieve higher sputtering rate and titanium absorption in the substrate. A target prototype was generated to perform the tests. After the assays, the specimens were analyzed by SEM image (scanning electron microscope) and EDS (X-ray energy dispersion spectroscopy) to determine the presence of titanium in the samples. Despite being very unstable, in one of the tests it was possible to find titanium on the surface of the substrate, when a 0V voltage system was used in the target -500V in the workpiece and a distance of 100 mm from the target.