Abstract
TiCrAlN and CrTiAlN multicomponent coatings have been developed using closed-field unbalanced magnetron sputtering technique (CFUBMS) in a gas mixture of Ar + N2. The nitrogen level was varied by using the feedback control of plasma optical emission monitor (OEM). An investigation into the effect of the CFUBMS process parameters on the properties of the coatings was undertaken. The main coatings parameters such as thickness, surface morphology, nanohardness, strength of adhesion and wear resistance were studied by means of ball-cratering method, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, scratch tests and nanoindentation measurements. The study revealed strong dependency of the mechanical properties on the nitrogen flow rate. Analysis of the experimental results showed that Cr-based multicomponent coatings possess better mechanical properties than Ti-based coatings at a nitrogen flow rate of 21 sccm: higher value of hardness (≤ 31GPa) and higher scratch resistance (> 30 N).
Highlights
Unbalance magnetron sputtering technique was developed to improve the homogeneity of deposition films by increasing the region of homogeneous plasma and the substrate – target distance
The present study focuses on the investigation of the Ti/TiN/TiAlCrN and Cr/CrN/CrTiAlN coatings obtained by a closed-field unbalanced magnetron sputtering technique (CFUBMS) technique
The study revealed that the same technological conditions have different effect on Ti –and Cr- based multicomponent coatings, which is, probably, due to different nucleation properties and growth rates during deposition
Summary
Unbalance magnetron sputtering technique was developed to improve the homogeneity of deposition films by increasing the region of homogeneous plasma and the substrate – target distance This technique [1] has been used successfully to deposit various coating materials on different kind of substrates and tools. Ti–Al–Cr–N system offers a high variability ranging from Cr rich to Al rich [11, 12] coatings These films demonstrated improved hardness and thermal stability, oxidation resistance and exhibit lower friction and wear coefficient. As these coatings become more complex and the number of possible compositions increases dramatically, it is important to understand the role of each element in order to optimize the final composition, which determines their mechanical and tribological properties
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