Abstract
Chromium nitride thin films were deposited by unbalanced magnetron (UBM) sputtering on AISI 304 stainless steel. The oxidation behavior of the nitride-coated steel at elevated temperatures ranging from 300 to 800°C in air for 60 min was characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. It was observed that the surface morphology and the color of the specimens oxidized below 500°C remains similar to the as-deposited specimen, and the coating surface was fully covered by a granular oxide layer at 800°C. Unlike the arc ion-plated chromium nitride coatings, the UBM-prepared coatings contain a small amount of in the as-deposited specimen besides the CrN phase. Pronounced phase decomposition from CrN into occurred at temperature above 500°C and the phase transformation was completed at 800°C. Oxidation of the nitrides to form a oxide layer was observed in the specimen oxidized above 500°C, and the grain size of both the nitrides and the oxide increases with the oxidation temperature. © 2003 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.
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