Surface Morphology and Roughness Evaluation of Titanium Treated with Mechanical and Chemical Pre-Treatment Methods

This study investigates the impact of various mechanical and acid-based pre-treatment techniques on the surface morphology and roughness of Titanium Grade V (Ti-6Al-4V) alloy in order to enhance its fibre adhesion capabilities in metal-fibre composites. Mechanical treatments like sandblasting and copper blasting, single and dual acid etching methods, as well as the combined effects were systematically examined. For measuring surface roughness the Mitutoyo portable surface roughness tester and for morphological changes observed by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) are used.. Results showed that Sandblasting and copper blasting increased roughness from 0.27 µm (untreated) to 2.87 µm ((≈11 times) and 5.65 µm ((≈21 times) respectively, while further acid etching on sandblasted specimens enhanced roughness up to 3.69 µm ((≈14 times). Dual acid etching methods exhibited variable effects depending on the acid sequence and composition. The study concludes that copper blasting offers the highest enhancement in roughness, whereas the combination of sandblasting followed by dual acid etching yields balanced surface morphology favourable for strong fiber bonding. These findings provide practical insights into tailoring titanium surface treatments for improved composite performance.