Construction of a compact nanocrystal structure for (CrNbTiAlV)Nx high-entropy nitride films to improve the tribo-corrosion performance

Abstract

(CrNbTiAlV)N x high-entropy nitride films were prepared using magnetron sputtering method. The effect of substrate bias on the microstructure, mechanical, electrochemical, and tribo-corrosion properties of the films was systematically studied. The results show that the microstructure of the film changes from a loose columnar structure to a compact nanocrystal structure with the increase of substrate bias, accompanied by the preferred orientation from (200) to (111). The hardness, modulus and residual stress are positively correlated with increased substrate bias, reaching the maximum values of 35.3 GPa, 353.7 GPa and −6.41 GPa at −156 V, respectively. Under static corrosion, the film deposited under −126 V has the most positive E corr of −0.05 V and the lowest i corr of 0.013 μA/cm 2 . Under tribo-corrosion, the films deposited at −96 V and −126 V show the lowest coefficient of friction (~0.2) and wear rate (~4.4 × 10 −7 mm 3 ·N −1 ·m −1 ), respectively. The evolution of microstructure and mechanical property are the main factors affecting the tribo-corrosion behavior of (CrNbTiAlV)N x films. • (CrNbTiAlV)N x high-entropy films were deposited at various substrate bias by magnetron sputtering. • The structure of the films changed from loose columnar to compact with the increase of substrate bias. • The hardness, modulus and residual stress of the films were positively correlated with increasing bias. • The influencing factors of (CrNbTiAlV)N x films under static corrosion and dynamic tribocorrosion were discussed.