Harnessing innovative sputtering approaches to enhance VN coatings with superior mechanical and self-lubricating properties

The use of self-lubricating hard coatings has become increasingly popular in sectors such as metalworking, transmission systems, medical implants and spacecraft components because of their effectiveness in reducing friction and wear under high temperatures during dry-cutting processes. Transition metal nitrides that form lubricious Magnéli phase oxides at elevated temperatures have emerged as strong candidates for tribological applications. Among these, VN-based coatings show considerable potential for reducing friction and enhancing wear resistance, driven by their high mechanical strength and good corrosion resistance. Despite extensive research into sputtered VN coatings, a comprehensive review addressing optimized processing parameters for these coatings remains scarce. This review fills this gap by highlighting recent advancements in magnetron-sputtered VN coatings, emphasizing the influence of sputtering process parameters on microstructural, mechanical and tribological properties. Critical insights into optimal sputtering parameters are provided to enhance coating performance and enable advanced applications. The understandings from this review are expected to aid researchers in identifying research gaps and selecting appropriate sputtering parameters tailored to specific applications of VN coatings.