Nitrogen ion implantation significantly enhances the tribological properties and corrosion resistance of aluminum–lithium alloy

The study of aluminum-lithium alloys has garnered significant attention due to their promising properties; however, further enhancement of their wear and corrosion resistance is still required. In our study here, nitrogen ions were implanted into 2195 aluminum-lithium alloy at an energy level of 30 keV. The microstructural characteristics and mechanical properties of the samples were systematically investigated using X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and a tribological testing apparatus. The data showed that ion implantation induces a softening effect on the material surface. Nevertheless, it significantly improves both wear and corrosion resistance of the alloy. As the implantation dose increased, the friction coefficient exhibited a trend of first decreasing and then increasing; optimal wear performance was achieved when the implantation dose reached 5 × 10¹⁵ ions/cm². Additionally, the corrosion resistance improved proportionally with the increase in implantation dose. Compared to untreated base material, the corrosion current density of the implanted samples decreased by two orders of magnitude, and the corrosion rate reduced by 62%. These results demonstrate that high-dose nitrogen ion implantation is an effective approach for enhancing the wear and corrosion resistance of 2195 aluminum-lithium alloys.