An abrasion resistant titanium alloy has a titanium or titanium alloy matrix containing a fine distribution of chromium, tungsten and/or vanadium carbide particles making up more than 15% of a microscopic view area. Also claimed are: (i) a sliding element consisting of a metal (preferably titanium or titanium alloy) base with a hardened surface layer of the above titanium alloy; and (ii) a similar abrasion resistant titanium alloy in which the metal carbide phase has a grain size of more than 50 microns. Further claimed is an abrasion resistant titanium alloy production method involving: (a) mixing Ti (alloy) matrix particles with 30-50 vol.% finely distributed chromium, tungsten and/or vanadium carbide particles; (b) heating the mixture (preferably by an inert gas plasma arc welding process) to between the melting points of the matrix and carbide phases to form a fine dispersion of the carbide particles in a Ti (alloy) melt; and (c) cooling to below the Ti (alloy) melting point t o obtain an abrasion resistant Ti alloy containing finely distributed particles which make up more than 15% of a microscope view area.
