Characterization of TiCN thin films deposited by Dc-Pulsed PACVD using methane precursor

Seyed Mohammad Mahdi Shafiei,Seyed Mohammad Ali Boutorabi,Rahim Naghizadeh,Mehdi Divandari

doi:10.1590/1516-1439.309514

Seyed Mohammad Mahdi Shafiei, Seyed Mohammad Ali Boutorabi + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/1516-1439.309514

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Abstract

Titanium carbonitride (TiCN) thin films were deposited on hot-work steel (DIN 1.2606) by plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition (PACVD) and the influence of different CH4/ (CH4+N2) gas flow ratio, on the layer mechanical properties, were investigated. SEM studies indicated that the growth rate is decreased by increasing the CH4/ (CH4+N2) gas flow ratio. It was found that the Ti(C, N) layers have different stoichiometry, TiC30N70 and TiC70N30 for 0.5 and 0.66 gas flow ratio. Grazing incidence x-ray diffraction (GIXRD), X-ray Photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to evaluate the microstructures as well as the morphological property such as roughness. It was also revealed that by increasing the flow ratio, the grain size of the TiCN thin films is increased. A hardness of 2180 HV0.05 was obtained when the layer was fabricated at the lower flow ratios.

Highlights

DIN 1.2606 (X4Cr5MoWSiV) steel is currently one of frequently used chromium-molybdenum tool steels, which contains high molybdenum content
The Grazing incidence x-ray diffraction (GIXRD) pattern indicates an exclusively face-center-cubic (FCC) structure which is closely related to Ti
Nitrogen and Carbon can be incorporated on the octahedral sites of both the hexagonal close-packed lattice of titanium and the face-centered cubic (FCC) sublattice in Titanium carbonitride (TiCN) and form TiCxNy

Summary

Introduction

DIN 1.2606 (X4Cr5MoWSiV) steel is currently one of frequently used chromium-molybdenum tool steels, which contains high molybdenum content. This steel has various applications, such as hot forging dies, slotting tools, scissors, hot forging punches, etc. The PACVD technique is an appropriate method to deposit wear and corrosion resistant hard coatings which have excellent properties applicable for several applications. Other advantages of PACVD method are high adhesion and good morphology of the layers. Tools deposited with hard coatings, like TiN, TiCN, TiC, have already been used successfully for many industrial application[3,4,5,6]. The PACVD process is affected by several process parameters, like discharge voltage, current density, gas pressure, gas composition and flow rate[7,8,9]

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