Deposition of Phase-pure Cr2AlC Coating by DC Magnetron Sputtering and Post Annealing Using Cr-Al-C Targets with Controlled Elemental Composition but Different Phase Compositions

Abstract

Polycrystalline Cr2AlC coatings were prepared on M38G superalloy using a two-step method consisting of magnetron sputtering from Cr-Al-C composite targets at room temperature and subsequent annealing at 620°C. Particularly, various targets synthesized by hot pressing mixture of Cr, Al, and C powders at 650–1000°C were used. It was found that regardless of the phase compositions and density of the composite targets, when the molar ratio of Cr:Al:C in the starting materials was 2:1:1, phase-pure crystalline Cr2AlC coatings were prepared by magnetron sputtering and post crystallization. The Cr2AlC coatings were dense and crack-free and had a duplex structure. The adhesion strength of the coating deposited on M38G superalloy from the 800°C hot-pressed target and then annealed at 620°C for 20h in Ar exceeded 82±6MPa, while its hardness was 12±3GPa.