Microstructural and mechanical properties of TiN/CrN and TiSiN/CrN multilayer coatings deposited in an industrial-scale HiPIMS system: Effect of the Si incorporation
IF 5.3 2区 材料科学Q1 MATERIALS SCIENCE, COATINGS & FILMS
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Surface engineering through the deposition of advanced coatings, particularly multilayer coatings has gained significant interest for enhancing the performance of coated parts. The incorporation of Si into TiN coatings has shown promise for improving hardness, oxidation resistance, and thermal stability, while high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) has emerged as a technique to deposit coatings with exceptional properties. However, TiN/CrN and TiSiN/CrN coatings deposited by HiPIMS remain relatively unexplored. In this study, different TiN/CrN and TiSiN/CrN multilayer coatings with different bilayer periods from 5 to 85 nm were deposited using an industrial-scale HiPIMS reactor, and their microstructure and mechanical properties were investigated using advanced characterization techniques. Results revealed successful deposition of smooth and compact coatings with controlled bilayer periods. X-ray diffraction analysis showed separate crystalline phases for coatings with high bilayer periods, while those with smaller bilayer periods exhibited peak-overlapping and superlattice overtones, especially for the TiN/CrN coatings. Epitaxial grain growth was confirmed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). HRTEM and electron energy-loss spectroscopy measurements confirmed Si incorporation into the TiN crystal lattice of TiSiN/CrN coatings reducing the crystallinity, especially for coatings with smaller bilayer periods. Nanoindentation tests revealed that coatings with a bilayer period of 15–20 nm displayed the highest hardness values regardless of the composition. The mechanical properties of the TiSiN/CrN coatings showed no improvement over those of the TiN/CrN coatings, attributed to the Si induced amorphization of the Ti(Si)N phase and the absence of SiNx phase segregation within the TiN nanocrystals in these coatings. These findings provide valuable insights into the microstructure and mechanical properties of TiN/CrN and TiSiN/CrN multilayer coatings deposited by HiPIMS in an industrial scale reactor, paving the way for their application in various industrial sectors.
期刊介绍:
Surface and Coatings Technology is an international archival journal publishing scientific papers on significant developments in surface and interface engineering to modify and improve the surface properties of materials for protection in demanding contact conditions or aggressive environments, or for enhanced functional performance. Contributions range from original scientific articles concerned with fundamental and applied aspects of research or direct applications of metallic, inorganic, organic and composite coatings, to invited reviews of current technology in specific areas. Papers submitted to this journal are expected to be in line with the following aspects in processes, and properties/performance:
A. Processes: Physical and chemical vapour deposition techniques, thermal and plasma spraying, surface modification by directed energy techniques such as ion, electron and laser beams, thermo-chemical treatment, wet chemical and electrochemical processes such as plating, sol-gel coating, anodization, plasma electrolytic oxidation, etc., but excluding painting.
B. Properties/performance: friction performance, wear resistance (e.g., abrasion, erosion, fretting, etc), corrosion and oxidation resistance, thermal protection, diffusion resistance, hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity, and properties relevant to smart materials behaviour and enhanced multifunctional performance for environmental, energy and medical applications, but excluding device aspects.