To address the issues of low surface hardness and poor anti-stick-slip wear performance exhibited by TC4 titanium alloy during service in aerospace and medical implant applications, this study employed ultrasonic surface rolling process technology for surface strengthening. The effects of key process parameters, such as the number of rolling passes, on surface microstructure, mechanical properties, and tribological behavior were systematically investigated. Characterization via scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, microhardness testing, residual stress analysis, and ball-on-disc friction wear tests revealed that USRP induces severe plastic deformation in the surface layer of TC4 titanium alloy, forming a nano- or submicron-scale refined layer with a gradient residual compressive stress field. As the number of rolling passes increases, surface microhardness first rises then declines, peaking at approximately 366.5 HV0.1 after 5 passes—a 24.2% increase over the untreated substrate (295 HV0.1). The absolute residual compressive stress reaches its maximum value of approximately -850 MPa after 10 passes, slightly decreasing after 15 passes due to fatigue layer formation from overprocessing. Friction tests indicate that USRP treatment effectively reduces the initial friction coefficient during the running-in phase. While its impact on the average friction coefficient during the stable phase is limited, it significantly enhances the surface layer's deformation resistance through grain refinement and surface densification. Moderate USRP treatment achieves an optimal balance between grain refinement, residual compressive stress, and surface integrity, providing theoretical and process references for manufacturing high-performance surfaces in TC4 titanium alloys.  

Huaian Yi, Haifeng Chen. Effect of Surface Properties of Titanium Alloy under Ultrasonic Rolling Treatment. Academic Journal of Engineering and Technology Science (2026), Vol. 9, Issue 2: 110-116. https://doi.org/10.25236/AJETS.2026.090215.

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