Comparison of Mechanical and Tribological Properties of TiCN and CrCN Coatings Deposited by CAD

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to compare the mechanical and tribological properties of TiCN and CrCN coatings. These coatings are widely used in industrial applications to improve both friction and wear. They are deposited at the same deposition parameters using an industrial Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD) system. Estimation of the tribology properties is made in a ball-on-disc mode, and the wear and wear rates of the coatings and counter-bodies are compared. The test study is conducted using a ball made from Al2O3 with a diameter of 6.350 mm and a load of 10 N, at room temperature and a humidity of 44 ± 2 %. The mechanical properties are estimated by nanoindentation, a scanning electron microscope and a mechanical profilometer, and the hardness, elastic module, chemical composition, and surface coating morphology are estimated. The scratch test is performed on the coatings using a CETR UMI Multi-Specimen Test System scratch tester device with a progressive load from 2 to 100 N and speed of 10 mm/min, according to the ISO EN 1071-3:2005 standard.