Structure and properties of TiN–Pb composite coatings deposited on VT6 alloy by DC magnetron sputtering

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DC reactive magnetron sputtering of two separate single-element Ti and Pb targets was used to deposit a TiN–Pb composite coating onto a substrate made of the VT6 titanium alloy. The studies were carried out at Pb cathode currents of 0.2 and 0.1 A and two fixed argon flow rate values of 6.0 or 8.5 cm3/min, and the flow rate of nitrogen supplied to the chamber varying from experiment to experiment. The composition of coatings was determined by energy dispersive analysis. It was shown that the amount of lead in the coatings ranged from 0.5 to 16 wt.% depending on the Pb cathode current and reactive nitrogen consumption. Coating microhardness and wear were determined for each deposition mode. It was found that coating thicknesses varied from 1.9 to 5.2 μm depending on the ratio of argon and nitrogen fluxes. The effect of TiN–Pb magnetron coating deposition parameters on the structure and phase composition was investigated by X-ray diffraction method. It was shown that the coating consists of Pb and PbO at the Pb cathode current of 0.2 A, and of TiN, Pb, and PbO at the current of 0.1 A, while an increase in the ratio of argon and nitrogen fluxes leads to an increase in the fraction of TiN, the intensity of titanium substrate surface saturation with nitrogen, as well as microhardness and wear resistance. Under all deposition conditions the TiN coating features by a typical texture (111), the intensity of which varies nonmonotonically.