Nanostructured TiAlSi-CN:Me/a-CN:Si₃N₄ Composite Coatings Deposited by Advanced PVD Technique

Abstract

Nanostructured smart coatings (NSC) based on the TiAlSi-CN composite structure elements were deposited using advanced reactive physical vapor deposition (PVD) method. The novel NSC on steel substrates demonstrated enhanced wear and corrosion resistance required for multifunctional high-tech applications. The deposited NSC containing TiAlSi-CN nanoparticles strengthened by Cr, Nb and Hf additives exhibited a coefficient of friction (CoF) less than 0.2 and wear rate as low as 10E-8 mm3/Nm. In addition, some self-healing properties were observed preventing denitrification of the core carbon-nitride (CN) layer due to specific tribochemical reactions of Al and Si constituents. Thus, the chemical composition and tentative nano-structure of the NSC can be described by a stoichiometric formula TiAlSi-CN:Me/a-CxNy:Si3N4, where Me=Cr, Nb or Hf.

Micromechanical and Tribological Properties of Nanostructured Carbonitride Coatings Deposited by PVD Technique

“…The NSC coatings were deposited on bearing steel (100Cr6) substrates using advanced high-power ion-plasma magnetron sputtering technique (HiPIPMS) in DC and Dual magnetron sputtering mode. HiPIPMS allows to achieve several underlying key objectives [8,9]: (i) to produce high density ion-plasma within a range of 10 11 -10 13 cm -3 nearby surface of the magnetron-sputtering-target (MST) within its erosion zone; (ii) to deposit high density coatings because characteristic island-like nucleation processes are suppressed due to high sputtering rates; (iii) to stretch less dense ion-plasma region between MST and sample holders due to magnetically unbalanced MSDs; (iv) to improve chemical reactivity of the sputtered particles due to enhanced surface diffusion activated by ion-plasma immersion conditions. The ability to vary the plasma density of about three orders of magnitude is of great significance concerning the chemical composition of the carbon-rich NSC because carbon reactivity and the sp 2 -and sp 3 -carbon content within the NSC depends strongly on the degree of ionization of the sputtered carbon atoms during the film growth process.…”

“…The thin film modular deposition system (TF-MDS) from Ref. 8 was implemented [8]. The TF-MDS was used in the effective crossed field unbalanced magnetron sputtering ion-plasma mode.…”

“…The TF-MDS was used in the effective crossed field unbalanced magnetron sputtering ion-plasma mode. As a result, a highly ionized plasma (immersed sputtering plasma mode) in the whole sample-substrate region was provided [8]. The four workstations, each having two MSDs, were magnetically cross configured on the circumference inside the vacuum chamber.…”

Simple Deconvolution Models for Evaluating the True Microhardness of Thin Nanostructured Coatings Deposited via an Advanced Physical Vapor Deposition Technique

“…Nanostructured multilayer coatings, founded upon the alternating nitride/nitride and/or nitride/carbonitride bilayer configurations of the transition metals deposited through reactive magnetron sputtering with N 2 /Ar gas mixtures, have enjoyed sustained interest. This approach enables the creation of coatings with heightened tribological performance and micromechanical properties, surpassing those inherent to equivalent monolayered coatings [11,[13][14][15].…”

“…A recent innovative approach to further enhance alternating multilayered coatings' tribological and micromechanical attributes has emerged by integrating new nanocrystalline, nanocomposite, or even amorphous constituent components. This integration is achieved using an advanced physical vapor deposition (PVD) technique known as high-power ionplasma magnetron sputtering (HiPIPMS) [13,16]. Consequently, the focus of this research was directed towards a modified non-stoichiometric nitride/carbonitride multilayered structure based on a multiplication/bilayer structure, TiMe-CN/TiAlSi-N, where Me represents Hf or Nb.…”