Formation of TiC by the application of Ti6Al4V machining chips as flux compounds of tubular wires

Titanium carbonates (TiC) have high hardness and wear resistance, being thus widely present as a phase present in various mechanical components subject to wear mechanisms. Its application on a large industrial scale becomes relatively low, due to the high cost of titanium commercial alloys. On the other hand, large amounts of chips are generated in the manufacture of prostheses and orthodontic implants, where titanium alloys (ASTM F67 and ASTM F136) are widely applied. The attractiveness of these residues lies in the fact that titanium is the major element present in alloys (at least 90% by weight) and are discarded at low cost when compared to commercial alloys. In order to re insert these residues in the production chain, ASTM F136 (Ti6Al4V) alloy chips were subjected to grinding processes to obtain powders with a grain size of less than 40 mesh and used as flux components in tubular type wires MCAW for manufacturing consumables, promoting the formation of TiC in the welding metal. The deposited cords presented low weld discontinuity index with a uniform distribution of TiC particles along the microstructure, resulting in considerable fractions of carbonate areas in the welds and presenting a considerable increase in micro hardness.