Abstract
Ti-Si-N nanocomposite films were prepared by co-sputtering Ti and Si targets in Ar/N2 gas atmosphere. The effect of N2 flow rate on the structure, adhesion strength and friction coefficient of the deposited films was studied by using X-ray diffraction, atom force microscope, field emission scanning electron microscopy and multi-functional tester for material surface properties. The Ti-Si-N films had a fine, smooth and compact structure with TiN nanograins embedded in an amorphous Si3N4 matrix. The nanocomposite films exhibited (200), (111), (220) and (222) reflections with a dominant orientation of the (200) reflection. When the N2 flow rate increased, the film structure was refined. It was found that both interfacial adhesion strength and friction coefficient depended on the N2 flow rate, and the best values were exhibited by the nanocomposite film produced at N2 flow rate of 15 sccm, perhaps contributed to a finer and smoother structure of this deposited film. Keywords: Ti-Si-N, Sputtering, Nanocomposite film, Microstructure, Adhesion strength, Friction coefficient
Highlights
Titanium nitride is one of the most used materials as hard films because of its high hardness, wear resistance and chemically stability [1]
The microstructure and properties of the Ti-Si-N nanocomposite films strongly depend on the processing parameters such as bias voltage, nitrogen partial pressure, substrate temperature and the content of silicon [7,8,9,10]
* Corresponding author: ccllhhe@126.com relative less information about effect of N2 flow rate on adhesion strength and friction coefficient of Ti-Si-N nanocomposite films, in this paper Ti-Si-N nanocomposite films were prepared by co-sputtering Ti and Si targets in Ar/N2 gas atmosphere, and the effect of N2 flow rate on the microstructure, adhesion strength and friction coefficient of the deposited films was investigated in details
Summary
Titanium nitride is one of the most used materials as hard films because of its high hardness, wear resistance and chemically stability [1]. These films are generally prepared by magnetron sputtering and arc ion plating. Zhou et al [7] reported Ti-Si-N nanocomposite film had a maximum hardness of 47 GPa. In reactive sputtering processes, the microstructure and properties of the Ti-Si-N nanocomposite films strongly depend on the processing parameters such as bias voltage, nitrogen partial pressure, substrate temperature and the content of silicon [7,8,9,10]. Because relative less information about effect of N2 flow rate on adhesion strength and friction coefficient of Ti-Si-N nanocomposite films, in this paper Ti-Si-N nanocomposite films were prepared by co-sputtering Ti and Si targets in Ar/N2 gas atmosphere, and the effect of N2 flow rate on the microstructure, adhesion strength and friction coefficient of the deposited films was investigated in details
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