Ion Plating Technique Research Articles

The Cr/Cr2N multilayer coating with high load-bearing capacity and thermal shock resistance

By utilizing the multi-arc ion plating (MAIP) technique, multilayer coatings with varying Cr/Cr2N ratios and uniform thicknesses were deposited onto a nitrided Cr–Ni–Mo–V steel substrate. The evolution of microstructure and mechanical properties was characterized using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and micro-Vickers hardness testing. The load-bearing capacity of the multilayer coatings with varying modulation ratios was comprehensively evaluated through Vickers indentation tests with a 10-kgf load, Rockwell hardness testing with a 150-kgf load, and scratch tests with loads of 60 and 100 N. The coating with a Cr/Cr2N layer modulation ratio of 0.2/0.4 μm exhibited a hardness of 1385 HV and an adhesion strength of 91 N. Under a 10 kgf load, this coating also demonstrated excellent fracture toughness, and did not exhibit any radial cracks in the Vickers indentation. Subsequently, a thermal shock test, involving quenching from 900°C water to 25°C, was conducted on the coating with the best comprehensive performance. The multilayer coating with high load-bearing capacity could withstand 52 thermal shock cycles before delamination occurred. Failure analysis further confirmed that the multilayer coating with enhanced load-bearing capacity effectively resisted thermal shock.

Preparation and high temperature oxidation resistance of AlSiY coating by arc ion plating

AlSiY coating with excellent antioxidant property was deposited using the arc ion plating technique on a nickel-base single crystal superalloy René N5. The microstructures and morphologies of the coatings, the elemental content and composition of the phases were analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), and X-ray diffractometer (XRD). The results showed that the AlSiY coating was primarily comprised with β-NiAl phase with well combined with the substrate after heat treatment. The average oxidation rate of the coating for 300 h oxidation at 1050 ℃ was 0.8570 mg/cm2, superior to that of the substrate with 1.0035 mg/cm2. The coating exhibited good resistance oxidation during 1050 ℃, and the main phase was β-NiAl phase with high Al content after 300 h oxidation, which suggested that the coating could form a dense Al2O3 layer. In the 1100 ℃ oxidation process, although the depleted aluminum zone of γ′-Ni3Al was formed under the oxide layer after 300 h oxidation, the coating still had a high Al content, which could generate a continuous oxide layer on the surface of coating. The average oxidation rate of coating and substrate was 1.4070 mg/cm2, 3.2730 mg/cm2, respectively, which could provide good oxidation resistance for substrate. The investigation could provide some guidance for the preparation and industrial production of aluminide coatings.

Structure and performance of N-doped amorphous carbon films (a-C: N) on stainless steel surfaces for bipolar plates in proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Stainless steel bipolar plates (BPPs) are anticipated to supersede traditional graphite BPPs in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) owing to their superior machinability, enhanced mechanical strength, and cost-effectiveness. Nevertheless, stainless steel BPPs are susceptible to corrosion and dissolution in acidic environments over extended periods, leading to the formation of a passivation film that diminishes conductivity. In this study, amorphous carbon (a-C) films with varying N doping contents were deposited onto 304L stainless steel foil using the cathodic arc ion plating technique. This was achieved by manipulating the N2 flow rate. The research investigated the impact of N doping on the microstructure, corrosion resistance, interfacial contact resistance (ICR), and hydrophobicity of the a-C films on stainless steel surfaces. The findings reveal that the various a-C films significantly enhance the performance of 304L stainless steel under simulated PEMFCs operating conditions. While N-doped a-C (a-C: N) films are advantageous for reducing ICR, incorporating N results in a decrease in C-sp3 content and density, ultimately leading to a decrease in the corrosion resistance of films. Additionally, the hydrophobicity of the a-C films diminishes with increasing N content. Consequently, N doping is not conducive to improving the overall performance of a-C films on the surface of 304L stainless steel bipolar plates under simulated PEMFCs operating conditions.

Critical processing parameters optimization and characterization of CrAlSiWN coating by industrial arc ion plating

CrAlSiWN coating has been deposited on SKH-51 steel by multi-arc ion plating technique. An orthogonal experimental approach is employed to optimize the processing parameters, including current, bias voltage, rotating stand speed, and duty cycle. The coating exhibits superior comprehensive properties under the following conditions: 150 An of current, −50 V to −200 V of bias voltage, 2 r/min of speed, and 80 % duty cycle. The microstructure, mechanical and tribological properties, thermal stability, and oxidation resistance have been investigated. The results indicate that the CrAlSiWN coating consists of an fcc-(Cr, Al) N solid solution. The hardness is approximately four times that of the substrate (3827 HV) and the adhesion strength between the coating and substrate reaches 89.20 N. Wear mechanisms primarily involve abrasive and oxidation wear with a friction coefficient of 0.478. Additionally, CrAlSiWN coating exhibits excellent thermodynamic stability until 1100 °C when annealed under vacuum conditions and a remarkable oxidation resistance with a low oxidation weight growth rate of 0.08 mg/mm2 at temperatures up to 1100 °C.

Study on Microstructure, Mechanical Properties, Tribological Properties and Service Performance of CrAlN and CrAlBN Coatings Deposited on Powder Metallurgy High-Speed Steel (PM-HSS) and Shaper Cutter by Arc Ion Plating Technique

CrAlN and CrAlBN coatings were prepared on the surface of high-speed steel and shaper cutter by physical vapor deposition (PVD) technique using arc ion source. In the process of coating preparation, the adhesive layers were deposited by low bias voltage (−40 V) and the working layers are deposited by high bias voltage (−130 V). The effects of the addition of B element on the microstructure, hardness, elastic modulus and wear resistance of CrAlBN coating were studied. The results show that B element and its compounds exist in amorphous form in the coating, resulting in lattice distortion of the coating, increase of coating hardness to 37.1 GPa, and decrease of elastic modulus to 406.2 GPa. The addition of B element increases the uniformity of the columnar structure distribution and decreases the width of the columnar structure and grain size. The resistance to elastic deformation and plastic deformation of CrAlBN coating is improved, the wear resistance is improved. The performance of CrAlN and CrAlBN coatings on shaper cutter was studied. It was found that the main failure mode of shaper cutters is boundary wear and the wear mechanism of coatings had changed obviously. CrAlBN coating is mainly due to fatigue induced failure, accompanied by some diffusion wear. The addition of B element makes the CrAlBN coating have excellent resistance to oxidative wear, abrasive wear and diffusion wear during cutting. The results show that the addition of B element can improve the microstructure and mechanical properties of CrAlN coating, and the preparation of CrAlBN coating on the surface of the shaper cutter can significantly improve the service life of the coated shaper cutter, which has significance for the development of the shaper cutter industry.

High temperature tribological properties of TiAlSiN/NiCr multilayer coatings with different modulation periods

In this work, TiAlSiN/NiCr multilayer coatings with different modulation periods were deposited by cathodic-arc techniques, which combined filtered cathode vacuum arc (FCVA) and cathodic-arc ion plating (CAIP) techniques to deposit sublayers at different bias voltages. The nanoscale multilayer coating (TiAlSiN: 88 nm; NiCr: 9 nm) exhibited excellent oxidation resistance and thermal stability. Annealed coatings at 900 °C in air for 1 h, the thickness of the oxide layer of N32 coating is only 0.91 μm and the increase in coating thickness was only 9.01%, while the thickness of oxide layer of monolayer TiAlSiN coating is 3.02 μm and thickness increasing of 122.28%. Due to the existence of numerous interfaces, the N32 coating exhibited the lowest wear rate of 1.92 × 10−7 mm3N−1m−1 at 600 °C under abrasive wear and adhesive wear mechanisms. In parallel, a new AlNi intermetallic compound with excellent thermal stability was characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) at the coating interfaces. This compound is derived from different cathodic-arc techniques and bias voltages used to deposit coatings, which provides a reference for the structural design of coatings facing thermal environments.

Effect of nitrogen/argon ratios on structures and properties of high-entropy (ZrTiNbV)N nitride films by multi-arc ion plating

The multi-arc ion plating technique has been used to prepare high-entropy (ZrTiNbV)N ceramic films. Meanwhile, the effects of different nitrogen/argon ratios of RN on film microstructures, mechanical properties, tribological properties and corrosion resistance are systematically investigated. The high-entropy (ZrTiNbV)N ceramic films with face-centered cubic structure are fabricated when the RN exceeded the critical value of RN = 1. Additionally, the films form dense structures and bond tightly to the substrate under all RN conditions. Compared with other films, the films deposited at RN = 3 have the best mechanical and tribological properties. The hardness up to 31.70 ± 1.67 GPa, and the wear rate is as low as (3.39 ± 0.18) × 10−6 mm3/N−1m−1. Moreover, the corrosion current density in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution is only 1.119 × 10−7A/cm2, showing excellent corrosion resistance.

Study on Friction and Corrosion Performance of CrTiBN Coating in Artificial Seawater Environment

CrN, CrTiN, and CrTiBN coatings were deposited onto 316 stainless steel substrates using multi-arc ion plating techniques. Their morphology, microstructures, friction performance, and corrosion resistance in simulated seawater were systematically characterized. After being analyzed with X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy, the results revealed that CrN coatings had a primary face-centered cubic CrN structure. Following the addition of Ti and B elements, CrTiBN coatings exhibited a cross-sectional structure with hexagonal TiB2 and amorphous BN, displaying the most compact structure. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy tests indicated that CrTiBN coatings had the highest polarization resistance, the highest phase angle, and the widest frequency range. During electrochemical polarization curve tests, CrTiBN coatings displayed a corrosion potential of 0.11 V, a polarization resistance of 2470 kΩ·cm2, and a minimal corrosion current of 1.94 × 10−8 A/cm2, demonstrating outstanding corrosion resistance. The results from the friction tests indicated that CrTiBN coatings exhibited the lowest friction coefficients of 0.16 and wear rates of 8.18 × 10−7 mm3/Nm. Insights gained from electrochemical friction–corrosion tests revealed that CrTiBN coatings maintained the highest Open Circuit Potential (OCP) throughout the corrosion and friction process. In summary, the introduction of Ti and B has clearly enhanced the friction and corrosion resistance properties of CrTiBN coatings in comparison to CrN coatings.

Comparative study on protective Cr coatings on nuclear fuel cladding Zirlo substrates by AIP and HiPIMS techniques

After the Fukushima nuclear accident, the concept of accident-tolerant fuel (ATF) cladding coating was proposed with the aim of increasing the rescue time in the case of an accident. Cr coatings are considered to be promising ATFs cladding materials for loss-of-coolant-accident conditions. The oxidation behavior of a Cr coating is dominated by the microstructure and defects formed during the deposition process. To endow the Cr coatings with excellent oxidation resistance under a high-temperature steam environment, we deposited Cr coatings on Zirlo substrates by high-impulse-power magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS), a technique that can optimize the microstructure of the coating compared to the traditional arc ion plating (AIP) technique. The results revealed that the HiPIMS-Cr coatings exhibited a better steam oxidation resistance, and their oxidation weight gains were 14.6% and 42.4% lower than those of AIP-Cr coatings at 1100 °C and 1200 °C, respectively.

Investigation of corrosion protection with conductive chromium-aluminum carbonitride coating on metallic bipolar plates

To further enhance the performance of metal bipolar plates, the CrAlCN coating with high corrosion resistance and conductivity was deposited on the SS316L substrate by using Closed Field Unbalanced Magnetron Sputter Ion Plating (CFUMSIP) technique. Meanwhile, the inexpensive acetylene gas (C2H2) was utilized as a carbon source. XRD and XPS results indicate that the proportion of carbides in the coating increase with increasing carbon contents. Electrochemical measurements show that the C-doped coating significantly improves the corrosion resistance of the SS316L bipolar plates. The C doping enhances the conductivity of the CrAlN coating, and the C-doped sample obtains the lowest ICR value (2.94 mΩ cm2, before corrosion), which is well below the DOE target (≤10 mΩ cm2). The excellent conductivity and hydrophobicity of C-doped coating increase the power density of a single cell. This study demonstrates that the CrAlCN coatings have great application prospects in the bipolar plates field.

Effect of CrYN/TiBN coating on friction performance and corrosion resistance of 316 stainless steel in artificial seawater

CrYN, TiBN, and CrYN/TiBN coatings were successfully deposited on 316 stainless steel substrates via multi-arc ion plating techniques to improve their wear and corrosion resistance properties in marine environments. The morphology, microstructure, friction performance, and corrosion resistance of the three coatings in artificial seawater were systematically studied. X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy investigations confirmed a dominant face-centered cubic CrN structure, accompanied by hexagonal TiB2 and amorphous BN in CrYN/TiBN coatings. The SEM cross-section shows that the TiBN and CrYN/TiBN coatings have a more compact cross-sectional structure than the CrYN monolayer coating. The CrYN/TiBN coatings exhibited the lowest smooth friction coefficient in artificial seawater, and the wear rate was ranked as TiBN < CrYN/TiBN < CrYN. Surface morphological studies performed after tribocorrosion revealed that the protection ability of all three coatings remained acceptable. The electrochemical test showed that the corrosion tendency was CrYN/TiBN < TiBN < CrYN, and the CrYN/TiBN coating had the best performance in the AC impedance spectrum and polarization curve.

Effects of Copper Content on the Microstructural, Mechanical and Tribological Properties of TiAlSiN–Cu Superhard Nanocomposite Coatings

The effects of the Cu content on the microstructural, mechanical and tribological properties of the TiAlSiN–Cu coatings were investigated in an effort to improve the wear resistance with a good fracture toughness for cutting tool applications. A functionally graded TiAlSiN–Cu coating with various copper (Cu) contents was fabricated by a filtered cathodic arc ion plating technique using four different (Ti, TiAl2, Ti4Si, and Ti4Cu) targets in an argon-nitrogen atmosphere. The results showed that the TiAlSiN–Cu coatings are a nanocomposite consisting of (Ti,Al)N nano-crystallites (~5 to 7 nm) embedded in an amorphous matrix, which is a mixture of TiOx, AlOx, SiOx, SiNx, and CuOx phase. The addition of Cu atoms into the TiAlSiN coatings led to the formation of an amorphous copper oxide (CuOx) phase in the coatings. The maximum nanohardness (H) of ~46 GPa, H/E ratio of ~0.102, and adhesion bonding strength between coating and substrate of ~60 N (LC2) were obtained at a Cu content ranging from 1.02 to 2.92 at.% in the TiAlSiN–Cu coatings. The coating with the lowest friction coefficient and best wear resistance was also obtained at a Cu content of 2.92 at.%. The formation of the amorphous CuOx phase during coating growth or sliding test played a key role as a smooth solid-lubricant layer, and reduced the average friction coefficient (~0.46) and wear rate (~10 × 10−6 mm3/N·m).

Microstructure and oxidation behavior of CrCN/TiSiCN nano-multilayer coatings on Zircaloy in high-temperature steam

CrCN/TiSiCN nano-multilayer coatings with different C/N composition ratios were prepared on Zircaloy by hybrid multi-arc ion plating and magnetron sputtering technique, and the microstructures and oxidation behaviors of the coatings in 1000 °C steam were investigated. At the C/N ratio of 1.0, the coating structure changed from a quasi-bicrystalline layer periodic arrangement to a crystalline/amorphous layer arrangement. Increasing C/N ratio inhibited the generation and mobility of N2 bubbles in the coatings during oxidation, avoiding crack generation and coating flaking. The coating with C/N of 1.0 exhibited optimal high-temperature oxidation resistance. Moreover, the oxidation mechanisms of CrCN/TiSiCN nano-multilayer coatings were discussed.

Temperature-dependent tribological behavior of CrAlN/TiSiN tool coating sliding against 7A09 Al alloy and GCr15 bearing steel

Tool coatings exhibit different tribological behavior when cutting dissimilar materials, and understanding the differences is crucial for their service life. In this study, CrAlN/TiSiN multilayer coating was deposited by the arc ion plating technique, and its microstructure, load-bearing capacity, and toughness were investigated as well as the tribological behavior of the coating sliding against 7A09 Al alloy and GCr15 bearing steel at different temperatures. The results indicated a high fluctuation in the friction coefficient between the coating and 7A09 Al alloy above 150 °C, and the coating exhibited a negative wear rate. The friction coefficient between the coating and GCr15 bearing steel shows a decreasing trend above 150 °C, and the wear surface of the coating showed a smooth morphology.

Preparation and Performance Study of Si-DLC Based on Ion Deposition of Different Multiple Gradient Transition Layers

In order to improve the lower adhesion strength of Si-DLC coatings to the substrate and enhance its wear resistance, Si-DLC coatings with different transition layers (AlTiSiN, AlCrN and AlTiCrN) were prepared on 304 austenitic stainless steel substrates using multi-arc ion plating technique. The effects of different transition layers on the properties of Si-DLC were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometer, nanoindentation, confocal microscopy, Rockwell hardness tester, Raman test and wear test to find the optimal Si-DLC transition layer. The results show that the Si-DLC coating with AlTiSiN as the transition layer has an ID/IG of 0.71, the highest hardness of 26.7 Gpa, low surface roughness, the highest compressive stress, the best bond strength and the best wear resistance.

CrZrN/ZrN multilayer coatings on 316L stainless steel towards anticorrosion application

CrZrN/ZrN multilayer coatings with different modulation ratios (tCrZrN/tZrN) were prepared on AISI 316 L substrates through a multi-arc ion plating technique. The microstructures evolutions of as-prepared coatings with modulation ratios were investigated by the scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscope. The corrosion resistances of CrZrN/ZrN multilayer coatings in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution were studied. Results showed that the CrZrN/ZrN coatings were polycrystalline structures. The CrZrN/ZrN multilayer coatings exhibited superior anti-corrosion properties compared to CrZrN and ZrN monolayer coating. Furthermore, the corrosion current density of CrZrN/ZrN multilayer coatings with the modulation ratio (tCrZrN/tZrN) of 7.4:1 was low to 2.078×10−7 A/cm2, which was half lower compared to CrZrN monolayer coating, exhibiting the best corrosion resistance. The possible corrosion mechanisms of CrZrN/ZrN multilayer coating were ascribed to the dense and compact structure by multilayer design as well as the interface strength enhanced by the local coherent interfaces.

Nanostructures and electrochemical performances of Cr0.4Al0.4N0.2 medium-entropy and Cr0.9N0.1 low–entropy ceramic coatings by DFT calculation

Cr0.4Al0.4N0.2 medium–entropy ceramic (MEC) and Cr0.9N0.1 low–entropy ceramic (LEC) coatings were deposited on Ti6Al4V alloy by cathodic arc ion plating (CAIP) technique. The corrosion mechanism was revealed by the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and density functional theory (DFT) calculation. The results show that the Cr0.4Al0.4N0.2 MEC coating has higher electrochemical corrosion resistance than the Cr0.9N0.1 LEC coating, which is consistent with the DFT calculation. The charge transfer resistance of Cr0.4Al0.4N0.2 MEC coating increases by 589.28% compared with the Cr0.9N0.1 LEC coating, which is contributed to the transfer from the non–band gap energy to the band gap energy.

Effect of volcano-like textured coated tools on machining of Ti6Al4V: an experimental and simulative investigation

The present study was to reduce the adhesion and wear that happened on the rake face during machining of Ti6Al4V alloys by employing volcano-like textured coated tools. A combination of experimental and simulative investigation was adopted. DEFORM-3D software with updated Lagrangian formulation was used for numerical simulation, and the thermo-mechanical analysis was performed using Johnson–Cook material model to predict the cutting forces, cutting temperature, chip morphology, and tool wear. In cutting experiments, volcano-like textures with different area densities (10%, 20%, 30%) were fabricated by fiber laser on the rake face of cemented carbide tools close to the main cutting edge. Then, these textured tools were deposited with CrAlN coating through cathodic vacuum arc ion plating technique. Experiments in cutting Ti6Al4V alloys were carried out with the textured coated tools and non-textured coated tool under dry and wet cutting conditions. Then, cutting forces, chip morphology, and tool wear were investigated. The results showed that textured coated tools were superior to the conventional tool. Especially in wet cutting, the main cutting force and radial force of the coated tool with texture area density of 20% (VCT2) were reduced by 11.6% and 21.25%, respectively. Surface morphology of VCT2 tool had lower workpiece adhesion on the rake face. Therefore, VCT2 tool showed a better cutting performance. Finally, the mechanisms of textured coated tools under wet cutting conditions were proposed.

Study on the Cutting Performance of CrN/AlCrN-Coated Carbide PCB Milling Cutter

A CrN/AlCrN coating was prepared on a carbide substrate and PCB milling cutter by the cathodic arc ion plating technique. The organization, mechanical and tribological properties of the coating were studied. The milling performance of the coated milling cutters was investigated by milling tests. The results show that the surface of the CrN/AlCrN coating is smooth and dense without obvious defects. The coating has high hardness, low roughness and good bonding strength, presenting excellent mechanical properties. The coating showed better tribological performance and a lower friction coefficient under low load than that under high load, and the wear forms were adhesive wear and a small amount of oxidation wear. The coated milling cutters showed excellent milling performance when working at lower feed rates. The service life of coated milling cutters is significantly higher compared to uncoated cutters.

Erosion behavior of CrN, CrAlN and CrAlN/CrN multilayer coatings deposited on Ti6Al4V

CrN, CrAlN, CrAlN/CrN multilayer coatings were deposited on Ti6Al4V substrates with Multi-arc Ion Plating technique. Hardness and elastic modulus of the nitride coatings were characterized with nano-indentation. In addition, micro-cantilever test was also utilized to measure fracture toughness. Erosion performance of the nitride coatings were also tested with gas-solid erosion test. Moreover, the erosion performance of the tested coatings was analyzed. The interface in the multilayer coating could effectively hind the propagation of the crack increasing erosion resistance of the coating. Erosion resistance of coatings was positively related to hardness and fracture toughness. The CrAlN/CrN multilayer coating with the advantages of high hardness and high fracture toughness, showed the best erosion resistance.