Abstract
Ti2AlC MAX phase is considered an ideal candidate for surface protective coatings in harsh environments due to its excellent resistance to oxidation and corrosion, yet poor mechanical properties are a key bottleneck for practical applications. In this work, taking the conception of solid solution, high-purity and high-hardness (Ti, Zr)2AlC coatings were synthesized on Ti-6Al-4V substrates using a multiple-target magnetron sputtering technique combined with subsequent annealing. The as-deposited Ti-Zr-Al-C coating was partially crystalline containing TiAlx phase, and MAX phases formed after annealing at 750 °C for 90 min. Comprehensive X-ray diffraction and high-resolution TEM analysis identified the formation of solid solution (Ti0.9Zr0.1)2AlC. The incorporation of Zr reduced the surface roughness and grain size of the coatings due to the increased nucleation sites and the suppressed atomic diffusion. Comparing with pristine Ti2AlC coating, the hardness of the (Ti0.9Zr0.1)2AlC coating was enhanced by 30 % from 12.8 GPa to 16.6 GPa. This enhancement can be ascribed to the synergistic strengthening from solid solution and grain refinement. However, fracture toughness slightly deteriorated in the (Ti0.9Zr0.1)2AlC coating due to the preferential crack path along the refined-grain boundaries.
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