Experimental Study on the Influence of TiN/AlTiN PVD Layer on the Surface Characteristics of Hot Work Tool Steel

Abstract

It is desirable to improve tool steel wear resistance to produce pieces with precise dimensions and increase the lifetime of tools. The aim of this work was to modify the surface of 1.2344 (X40CrMoV5-1) hot work tool steel to improve the wear properties. Surface modification was achieved in three steps: first, hardening was applied, followed by plasma nitridation and, finally, physical vapor deposition (PVD) was employed to produce a TiN/AlTiN multilayer coating. The microhardness and the wear coefficient of the surfaces were measured. PVD coating showed the highest hardness value, 2938 HV0,01, whereas plasma nitridation followed by PVD resulted in 2679 HV0,01. The surface modification resulted in an increase in surface roughness in all cases compared to the hardened sample. However, the wear coefficient showed a significant decrease for the surface treated samples. The lowest wear coefficient of K = 1.47 10–10 mm3/Nm, which is a magnitude lower than the reference hardened sample (K = 6.32 10–9 mm3/Nm), was achieved employing both plasma nitridation and PVD. The results confirm that the use of a combined surface modification of plasma nitridation and PVD significantly improve the wear resistance of the treated samples.

Tribological Properties of a Sliding Joint with an a-C:H:W Coating under Lubrication Conditions with PAO8 Oil and the Addition of 2% MoS2 Nanoparticles

“…The use of PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) and CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) methods in forming coatings is systematically growing [9,10]. These methods enabled us to obtain coatings with different characteristics [11][12][13]. As was previously described (Baptistai et al [14,15]), hard coatings can serve their purpose in different conditions, and also in the presence of abrasive particles.…”

Comparative Performance Evaluation of Magnetron Sputtered TiN, AlCrN, and TiAlCrN Coatings

“…Common industrial methods used to enhance the mechanical properties of tool steel surfaces include surface hardening, nitridation, surface coating, and laser surface treatment. Various studies have demonstrated the potential for enhancing the durability and effectiveness of hot work tools through the utilization of surface treatment techniques, including plasma nitriding, PVD coating, or a combination of these methods [4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. For over a decade, PVD TiN has been a widely utilized compound due to the ease of controlling nitriding reactions making it a popular choice for applications requiring enhanced mechanical properties [2,11].…”

Analysis of Fragmentation Phenomenon of Composite Layers of Fe-TiC Type Obtained “in situ” in Steel Casting

“…The losses related to the process of surface degradation cannot be completely eliminated, but they can be significantly mitigated by modifications introduced to the working surface. There are many processes that increase wear resistance, to mention as an example thermal and thermal-chemical treatment, including laser hardening, carburizing or nitriding [2,3,4], application of coatings, including ceramic PVD and CVD layers, another processes [5,6]. In casting practice, techniques such as production of bimetallic castings, most often provided with an insert made of high-chromium cast iron, are used to increase hardness of the casting surface [7,8].…”