Effect of interlayer composition on the tribological properties of TiC/Ti(C x, N 1− x)/TiN anti-abrasive multi-layer coatings

Abstract

This paper presents an investigation of the durability of wear-resistant multi-layer coating TiC/Ti(C x N 1− x )/TiN deposited by vacuum-arc method. The coatings selected for the investigations were prepared by introducing a mixture of C 2H 2 and N 2 gas in different proportions, in the deposition chamber, during the arc-deposition process. A three-layer coating TiC/Ti(C x N 1− x )/TiN was selected as a model system and the effects examined of the crystallographic match of the constituent layers in the TiC–Ti(C x N 1− x ) and Ti(C x N 1− x )–TiN interfaces on their wear resistance. The authors have used two methods to determine anti-wear properties of selected coatings: laboratory test was performed using rotating sphere test and performance test on industrial scale. The present investigations show that the crystallographic match in the TiC–Ti(C x N 1− x ) and Ti(C x N 1− x )–TiN interfaces changed in a nonlinear manner and depend on lattice parameter and texture of this materials. Anti-wear properties for coating TiC/Ti(C x N 1− x )/TiN changed in a nonlinear manner too. The largest value of wear-resistance occurred where working atmosphere for the Ti(C x N 1− x ) layer was C 2H 2/N 2=75%/25%. The minimum of wear resistance occurred for working atmosphere for the Ti(C x N 1− x ) : C 2H 2/N 2=50%/50%.