Effect of bilayer period on microstructure and mechanical properties of TiSiN/TiN coatings

Abstract

A potentially enhanced mechanical properties of TiSiN based multilayered coatings, as a consequence of e high density interface, has attracted much attention both to understand the strengthen mechanism and to develop them for the wear protection of cutting tools. Here, the effects of bilayer period on microstructural and mechanical properties of TiSiN/TiN nano-composite multilayers produced by cathodic arc ion plating using 2-fold rotation technique on Si(100) and cemented carbide substrate were investigated. Cross-sectional morphologies revealed that the bilayer period in these samples were in range of 16–60 nm as the SRS decreased from 6 to 2 rpm (rotation per minute). As shown by EDS results, the contents of Ti and Si were similar in all samples. The hardness first increased with the increase of SRS and then decreased. Maximum hardness was obtained in TiSiN/TiN coatings deposited with a bilayer period of 22.5 nm, which also revealed the lowest average friction coefficient.