The Study of Selected Properties of Ti EB PVD Coating Deposited Onto Inner Tube Surface at Low Temperature

Abstract

This study investigates the selected properties of the thin Ti coating applied by activated evaporation EB PVD technique. This technique was used for the deposition of Ti thin coating onto inner surface of OKhN3 MFA steel tubes. Deposition process was carried out at temperature 200°C. Conventional type of coatings - monolayer Ti - was analyzed by standard techniques for surface status and quality assessment - coating thickness, chemical composition by EDX analysis, adhesion, hardness, roughness, and growth direction of columns at room temperature. Ti monolayer achieved roughness Ra equal from 0.42 μm to 0.47 μm. The resulting hardness was from 2 GPa to 8.5 GPa depending on the sample location inside the vacuum chamber. Placing of the coated surface also affected the direction of grain growth of Ti coating columns. The angles α of grain growth were found to be from 40° to 60°. Angle α increased two to three times more than the incidence angle β (from 12° to 28°) of evaporated Ti particles. Values of the adhesion measured along the Ti growth direction were mostly higher (up to 10%) or the same as those measured perpendicular to it.