A comprehensive study of CrN/AlCrN-based monolayers and architected multilayers

IF 2.4 4区材料科学 Q3 MATERIALS SCIENCE, COATINGS & FILMS

Thin Solid Films Pub Date : 2025-11-01 Epub Date: 2025-09-25 DOI:10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140804

Yutao Zhang , Corinne Nouveau , Aurélien Besnard , José Outeiro , Alex Montagne , Denis Lagadrillère , Andrzej Kusiak , Luc Imhoff

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Abstract

Cr, CrN, and AlCrN monolayers and Cr/CrN/AlCrN multilayers were deposited on rough/mirror-polished tungsten carbide and silicon substrates by Direct Current magnetron sputtering. The multilayers were developed based on the optimized monolayers. In this paper, we introduce and discuss the optimization steps and performances of the AlCrN monolayers and the CrN/AlCrN-based multilayers. The influence of the deposition temperature and substrate bias voltage on the coating properties, the number of interfaces, and the thickness of CrN/AlCrN pairs were systematically studied for the monolayers and multilayers, respectively. The composition of the monolayers was determined by energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and verified by x-ray photoelectron spectrometry. Scanning electron microscopy observations permitted to define the microstructure and thickness of the coatings. Ball-on-disc tests were realized to determine the coefficient of friction and wear rate. The hardness and elastic modulus were calculated from nanoindentation tests. The adhesion was quantified by scratch-tests. The thermal conductivity measurement was obtained by Modulated Photo Thermal Radiometry. The optimized coatings have a dense and homogeneous surface morphology on WCCo substrates, are well crystallized, present a grain size lower than 10 nm, a friction coefficient of 0.5, and low wear rates. The results indicate that the optimal AlCrN monolayers are obtained at 300 °C/-250 V. The optimized AlCrN monolayers also have tensile and mostly compressive stresses, a hardness of 25.8 GPa, an elastic modulus of 170 GPa, and a Lc2 critical load of 58 N. The optimal multilayers are the one with decreasing CrN/AlCrN pairs thickness from substrate to top layer and the one with a doubled number of interfaces. The multilayers have low residual stresses from -47.7 MPa to 44.8 MPa, a hardness from 16.1 to 24.8 GPa, an elastic modulus from 429 to 670 GPa, a Lc2 critical load from 47 to 52 N, a low and similar thermal conductivity from 1.95 to 2.42 W·m^-1·K^-1.

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基于CrN/ alcrn的单层和多层结构的综合研究

采用直流磁控溅射技术在粗糙/镜面抛光的碳化钨和硅衬底上沉积了Cr、CrN和AlCrN单层和Cr/CrN/AlCrN多层。在优化后的单层材料的基础上制备了多层材料。在本文中，我们介绍和讨论了优化步骤和优化性能的AlCrN单层和基于CrN/AlCrN多层。系统地研究了沉积温度和衬底偏置电压对单层和多层CrN/AlCrN涂层性能、界面数量和对厚度的影响。用能量色散x射线光谱法测定了单层膜的组成，并用x射线光电子能谱法对其进行了验证。扫描电子显微镜观察可以确定涂层的微观结构和厚度。实现了球盘摩擦试验，确定了摩擦系数和磨损率。通过纳米压痕试验计算了硬度和弹性模量。通过划痕试验对附着力进行量化。热导率测量采用调制光热辐射法。优化后的涂层在WCCo基体上具有致密均匀的表面形貌，结晶良好，晶粒尺寸小于10 nm，摩擦系数为0.5，磨损率低。结果表明，在300°C/-250 V的温度下，获得了最佳的AlCrN单层膜。优化后的AlCrN单层膜具有拉伸应力和压应力，硬度为25.8 GPa，弹性模量为170 GPa， Lc2临界载荷为58 n。优化后的多层膜从衬底到顶层CrN/AlCrN对厚度减小，界面数增加一倍。复合材料的残余应力在-47.7 ~ 44.8 MPa之间，硬度在16.1 ~ 24.8 GPa之间，弹性模量在429 ~ 670 GPa之间，Lc2临界载荷在47 ~ 52 N之间，导热系数在1.95 ~ 2.42 W·m-1·K-1之间。

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来源期刊

Thin Solid Films 工程技术-材料科学：膜

CiteScore

4.00

自引率

4.80%

发文量

381

审稿时长

7.5 months

期刊介绍： Thin Solid Films is an international journal which serves scientists and engineers working in the fields of thin-film synthesis, characterization, and applications. The field of thin films, which can be defined as the confluence of materials science, surface science, and applied physics, has become an identifiable unified discipline of scientific endeavor.