Effects of Chromium Content on Thermal Shock Cycle Resistance of (TiCr)N Hard Reactive Films

Abstract

The (TiCr)N hard reactive films with 4 different Ti/Cr atomic ratios are prepared by using multi-arc ion plating. The Ti and Cr targets are used as cathodes in the co-deposition process. The high speed steel (HSS) specimens are adopted as substrate. The thermal shock cycle tests in air cooling (AC) way for the (TiCr)N films are carried out. The test temperatures are chosen as 600 °C and 700 °C, respectively. The changes of the surface compositions and morphology in the thermal shock cycle tests are investigated. The effects of Cr content in the (TiCr)N films, the temperature at which the thermal shock cycle tests are performed and the cycling times on the thermal shock resistance of the (TiCr)N films are discussed and analyzed in detail. The thermal shock behaviors of the (TiCr)N films show that the thermal shock cycling process of the (TiCr)N films consists of two stages, the steady-state oxidation stage with the increase of oxygen content at the early stage of thermal cycles, and, the instable oxidation stage with the oxidation aggravation and the occurrence of the surface cracks. The simple increase of Cr content in the (TiCr)N film does not improve the thermal shock resistance of the (TiCr)N films but easy to aggravate the surface oxidation process during the thermal shock cycles.