Erosion wear of CrN,TiN, CrAlN,and TiAlN PVD nitride coatings

Four nitride coatings (CrN, ZrN, CrAlN, and TiAlN) were deposited on YT15 cemented carbide by cathode arc-evaporation technique. Microstructural and fundamental properties of these nitride coatings were examined. Erosion wear tests were carried out, the erosion wear of these nitride coatings caused by abrasive particle impact was compared by determining the wear depth and the erosion rates of the coatings. The wear surface features were examined by scanning electron microscopy. Results showed that the coatings with Al (CrAlN and TiAlN) exhibited higher erosion wear resistance over those without Al (CrN and TiN). The H³/E² of the coating seemed to play an important role with respect to its erosion wear in erosion tests. AlTiN and CrAlN coatings being with high H³/E² exhibited lower erosion rates, while CrN coating with low H³/E² showed higher erosion rates under the same test conditions. Analysis of eroded surface of the coatings demonstrated that the TiN and CrN coatings exhibited a typical brittle fracture induced removal process, while AlTiN and CrAlN coatings showed mainly micro cutting and cycle fatigue fracture of material removal mode.     

Improved properties of Ti-Al-N coating by multilayer structure

Multinary Ti-Al-N coatings are used for various applications where hard, wear and oxidation resistant materials are needed. Here, we prepare TiAlN/TiN nano-multilayer coatings with modulation period of ~ 20 nm in order to further improve the properties of Ti-Al-N coating. Annealing of both coatings up to 700 °C results in an increase in hardness due to the precipitation of cubic Al-rich domains by spinodal decomposition. Multilayer structure results in an increase in adhesion with substrates from ~ 72 N for Ti-Al-N single layer coating to 98 N for TiAlN/TiN nano-multilayer coating. Additionally, the interfaces of TiAlN/TiN nano-multilayer coating retard the outward diffusion of metal atoms (Al and Ti) and inward diffusion of O while exposing coatings in air atmosphere with elevated temperature, and thus improve its oxidation resistance. An improved machining performance regardless of continuous cutting and milling is obtained by TiAlN/TiN nano-multilayer coated inserts, which can be attributed to the combined effects of higher adhesion with substrates and better oxidation resistance.     

Elevated temperature repetitive micro-scratch testing of AlCrN,TiAlN and AlTiN PVD coatings

In developing advanced wear-resistant coatings for tribologically extreme highly loaded applications such as high speed metal cutting a critical requirement is to investigate their behaviour at elevated temperature since the cutting process generates frictional heat which can raise the temperature in the cutting zone to 700–900 °C or more. High temperature micro-tribological tests provide severe tests for coatings that can simulate high contact pressure sliding/abrasive contacts at elevated temperature. In this study ramped load micro-scratch tests and repetitive micro-scratch tests were performed at 25 and 500 °C on commercial monolayer coatings (AlCrN, TiAlN and AlTiN) deposited on cemented carbide cutting tool inserts. AlCrN exhibited the highest critical load for film failure in front of the moving scratch probe at both temperatures but it was prone to an unloading failure behind the moving probe. Scanning electron microscopy showed significant chipping outside the scratch track which was more extensive for AlCrN at both room and elevated temperature. Chipping was more localised on TiAlN although this coating showed the lowest critical loads at both test temperatures. EDX analysis of scratch tracks after coating failure showed tribo-oxidation of the cemented carbide substrate. AlTiN showed improved scratch resistance at higher temperature. The von Mises, tensile and shear stresses acting on the coating and substrate sides of the interface were evaluated analytically to determine the main stresses acting on the interface. At 1 N there are high stresses near the coating-substrate interface. Repetitive scratch tests at this load can be considered as a sub-critical load micro-scale wear test which is more sensitive to adhesion differences than the ramped load scratch test. The analytical modelling showed that a dramatic improvement in the performance of AlTiN in the 1 N test at 500 °C could be explained by the stress distribution in contact resulting in a change in yield location due to the high temperature mechanical properties. The increase in critical load with temperature on AlTiN and AlCrN is primarily a result of the changing stress distribution in the highly loaded sliding contact rather than an improvement in adhesion strength.     

Structure and tribological properties of AlCrTiN coatings at elevated temperature

In this study, we analyzed the high temperature tribological behavior of AlCrTiN coatings deposited on WC substrates by low cathodic arc technique. The coatings chemical composition, Al 31 at.%, Cr 16 at.%, Ti 7 at.% and N 46 at.%, and the bonding state were evaluated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The mechanical properties of the coatings were studied by scratch-test and nanohardness depth sensing indentation. The morphology of the coatings surface, ball scars, wear tracks and wear debris as well as the oxidized samples was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The structure was analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD). Wear testing was carried out using a high temperature tribometer (pin-on-disc) with alumina balls as counterparts. The evaluation of the friction coefficient with the number of cycles (sliding distance) was assessed at different temperatures and the wear rates of the coatings and balls were determined; the maximum testing temperature was 800 °C. The coating showed an excellent thermal stability and wear resistance. The friction reached a maximum at 500 °C and then decreased, whereas the wear rate was negligible up to 600 °C and increased significantly at higher temperatures.     

Wear and friction of TiAlN/VN coatings against Al2O3 in air at room and elevated temperatures

TiAlN/VN multilayer coatings exhibit excellent dry sliding wear resistance and low friction coefficient, reported to be associated with the formation of self-lubricating V₂O₅. To investigate this hypothesis, dry sliding ball-on-disc wear tests of TiAlN/VN coatings on flat stainless steel substrates were undertaken against Al₂O₃ at 25 °C, 300 °C and 635 °C in air. The coating exhibited increased wear rate with temperature. The friction coefficient was 0.53 at 25 °C, which increased to 1.03 at 300 °C and decreased to 0.46 at 635 °C. Detailed investigation of the worn surfaces was undertaken using site-specific transmission electron microscopy (TEM) via focused ion beam (FIB) microscopy, along with Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy. Microstructure and tribo-induced chemical reactions at these temperatures were correlated with the coating’s wear and friction behaviour. The friction behaviour at room temperature is attributed to the presence of a thin hydrated tribofilm and the presence of V₂O₅ at high temperature.     

Dry sliding wear behavior of PVD TiN,Ti55Al45N,and Ti35Al65N coatings at temperatures up to 600 °C

Three PVD nitride coatings (TiN, Ti₅₅Al₄₅N, and Ti₃₅Al₆₅N) with different Al content were deposited on the cemented carbides by cathode arc-evaporation technique. Microstructural and fundamental properties of these nitride coatings were examined. The friction and wear behavior of these coatings were evaluated at temperatures up to 600 °C. The wear surface features of the test samples were examined by scanning electron microscopy. Results showed that the friction coefficient of these nitride coatings is different depending on the temperature. The friction coefficient of TiN coating increased with the increase of test temperature; while the friction coefficient of Ti₅₅Al₄₅N and Ti₃₅Al₆₅N coatings with the addition of Al decreased with the increase of test temperature. The Ti₅₅Al₄₅N and Ti₃₅Al₆₅N coatings exhibited higher wear resistance over the one without Al (TiN coating). The wear resistance of these nitride coatings at high temperature wear tests is significantly dependent on their tribological oxidation behavior. The Ti₅₅Al₄₅N and Ti₃₅Al₆₅N coatings with the addition of Al exhibited improved wear resistance as compared to the TiN coating, which was attributed to that their tribo-chemically formed Al₂O₃ exhibited better tribological properties than the TiO₂ of the latter.     

Mechanical properties and oxidation resistance of CrAlN/BN nanocomposite coatings prepared by reactive dc and rf cosputtering

CrAlN/BN nanocomposite coatings were deposited through reactive cosputtering, i.e., pulsed dc and rf sputtering, of CrAl and h-BN targets, respectively. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and selected area electron-diffraction (SAED) analysis indicated that the CrAlN/BN coating consists of very fine grains of B1 structured CrAlN phase. With an increasing BN volume fraction of over 8 vol.%, the nanocrystalline nature of the grains is revealed through a dispersion of fine grains in the CrAlN/BN coating. A cross-sectional observation using a transmission electron microscope (TEM) clarified that the coating demonstrating the highest level of hardness has a fiber-like structure consisting of grains that are ~ 20 nm in width and ~ 50 nm in length. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis revealed that the coating consists mainly of CrAlN and h-BN phase. The indentation hardness (H_IT) and effective Young's modulus (E*) of the coatings increased with the BN phase ratio, reaching a maximum value of ~ 46 and ~ 440 GPa at ~ 7 vol.% of BN phase; it then decreased moderately to ~ 40 and ~ 350 GPa at 18 vol.% of BN, respectively. Furthermore, CrAlN/BN coatings showed superior oxidation resistance compared with CrAlN coatings. After annealing at 800 °C in air for 1 h, the indentation hardness of CrAlN coatings decreased to 50% of the as-deposited hardness; in contrast, the hardness of CrAlN/BN nanocomposite coatings either stayed the same or increased, attaining a value of about 46 GPa. After annealing at 900 °C for 1 h, the hardness of all the coatings decreased to about 40%.     

Ti基与Cr基氮化物涂层的抗氧化性能

选用TiN,TiAlN,CrN和CrAlN 4种涂层材料,使用电阻炉对试样加热并保温,进行抗氧化性能实验,利用SEM、EDS和XRD获得了氧化结果。结果表明:Ti基涂层的氧化机制以O原子向涂层内部扩散为主;Cr基涂层的抗氧化机制为N原子和Cr离子向涂层表面的扩散所形成的微孔诱发的氧化;Cr基涂层比Ti基涂层具有较好的抗氧化性;Al的加入使得TiAlN与CrAlN涂层的氧化性能和高温后硬度提高,特别是CrAlN氧化后生成的致密Cr2O3和Al2O3混合氧化物使其抗氧化性能达到最优;氧化及涂层与基体的热涨失配使得几类涂层最终开裂失效;四种涂层的抗氧化能力为CrAlN>TiAlN>CrN>TiN。     

The corrosion and wear behavior of TiN and TiAlN coated AISI 316 L stainless steel

In this study, TiN and TiAlN coatings were deposited on AISI 316 L stainless steel substrates by PVD techniques. The composition and crystalline structure of the as-deposited coatings were analyzed by energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods, respectively. The corrosion resistance studies of TiN-coated and TiAlN-coated samples were carried out in 0.9 wt % NaCl and SBF solutions using the electrochemical potentiodynamic polarization method and the wear behavior was evaluated with the ball-on-disk wear method at a sliding speed rate of 0.3 m/s under 2.5 N load in a dry medium. It was found that both TiN and TiAlN coatings exhibited relatively good corrosion resistance, however, TiAlN coatings showed a better corrosion resistance than TiN coatings. The TiAlN coating contributes positively against corrosion and wear behavior by increasing the surface hardness and by decreasing the friction coefficient of AISI 316 L stainless steel, respectively.     

Influence of laser substrate pretreatment on anti-adhesive wear properties of WC/Co-based TiAlN coatings against AISI 316 stainless steel

To improve the anti-adhesive wear properties of WC/Co-based TiAlN coatings, a laser substrate surface pretreatment was examined. The cemented carbide substrates were textured with a Nd:YAG laser, in three different scanning speeds, and then coated with a PVD TiAlN film. The anti-adhesive wear properties of each surface were evaluated via the ball-on-disk wear test and turning experiments. Additionally, characterization tests such as variable depth scratch test were also performed in order to verify the coating adhesiveness and to explain the results of the wear and machining tests. The results reveal that the anti-adhesive wear properties of the three TiAlN coated textured samples are significantly improved over that of the conventional one; the adhesion of TiAlN coatings is greatly improved by using Nd:YAG laser substrate pretreatment. Moreover, laser-scanning speed has a profound effect on the adhesion strength of the pretreated samples. In the experiments, the lowest scanning speed (5 mm/s) is most effective in providing a greater mechanical locking of the coatings upon the substrate and a more matching chemical property between substrate and coating materials, thus increasing the critical load of the coatings. Meanwhile, the adhered workpiece material layer is more stable on the pretreated sample irradiated at 5 mm/s. Hence, potential wear protecting properties of the in-situ formed layer can be conserved.     

Influences of the compositions and mechanical properties of HVOF sprayed bimodal WC-Co coating on its high temperature wear performance

In this work, the bimodal WC-Co coatings were sprayed by high-velocity oxygen-fuel (HVOF), and the conventional WC-Co coatings were also fabricated for comparison. The microstructure, mechanical properties and high temperature wear performance were investigated. The bimodal WC-Co coating presented denser structure (porosity lower than 1.0%), higher average hardness (1164 HV0.1) and fracture toughness (11.5 ± 1.4 MPa·m^1/2) than that of conventional coating. The Weibull analysis of microhardness data of the bimodal coating presents a mono-modal distribution. The friction coefficient and wear rate of the bimodal coating were 0.61 and 2.96 × 10^− 6 mm³·N^− 1·m^− 1, respectively, which is lower than that of conventional coating at the test temperature of 450 °C. The tribofilm could be formed on the worn surface of bimodal WC-Co coating, which is composed of WO₃ and CoWO₄. The formation of tribofilm could reduce friction and wear.     

TiN/TiCN/Al2O3/TiN与TiN/TiCN/Al2O3/TiCNO多层涂层的组织性能比较

目的对比TiN/TiCN/Al_2O_3/TiN和TiN/TiCN/Al_2O_3/TiCNO两种多层涂层的组织性能。方法采用化学气相沉积(CVD)技术在硬质合金基体上沉积TiN/TiCN/Al_2O_3/TiN和TiN/TiCN/Al_2O_3/TiCNO两种多层涂层。通过X射线衍射仪(XRD)和扫描电子显微镜(SEM)分析涂层的物相和组织形貌,采用纳米力学测试系统测试涂层顶层的硬度和弹性模量,利用显微维氏硬度计和划痕仪分别测量涂层的显微硬度和结合强度,利用往复式多功能摩擦磨损试验机研究涂层的摩擦磨损性能。结果顶层TiN晶粒为柱状晶,顶层TiCNO晶粒呈细针状。与顶层TiN相比,顶层TiCNO硬度更大,抗塑性变形能力更强。与以TiN为顶层的多层涂层相比,以TiCNO为顶层的多层涂层表面粗糙度、摩擦系数较大,结合强度较低。当磨损只发生在顶层时,耐磨性取决于顶层涂层的性能,TiN/TiCN/Al_2O_3/TiN的磨损体积和磨损率为TiN/TiCN/Al_2O_3/TiCNO的1.2倍。当磨损进行到顶层与Al_2O_3层界面时,结合强度对耐磨性也有重要影响,TiN/TiCN/Al_2O_3/TiN的磨损体积和磨损率是TiN/TiCN/Al_2O_3/TiCNO的82%。结论与TiN/TiCN/Al_2O_3/TiN相比,TiN/TiCN/Al_2O_3/TiCNO的顶层TiCNO硬度较大,抗塑性变形能力强,其顶层耐磨性较好。改善TiN/TiCN/Al_2O_3/TiCNO多层涂层表面粗糙度和结合强度将进一步提高该涂层的摩擦磨损性能。     

Structure and wear resistance of TiN and TiAlN coatings on AZ91 alloy deposited by multi-arc ion plating

In order to investigate the microstructure of TiN and TiAlN coatings and their effect on the wear resistance of Mg alloy, TiN and TiAlN coatings were deposited on AZ91 magnesium alloy by multi-arc ion plating technology. TiN and Ti70Al30N coatings were prepared on the substrate, respectively, which exhibited dark golden color and compact microstructure. The microstructures of TiN and Ti70Al30N coatings were investigated by X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The micro-hardness and wear resistance of TiN and Ti70Al30N coatings were investigated in comparison with the uncoated AZ91 alloy. The XRD peaks assigned to TiN and TiAlN phases are found. The hardness of TiN coatings is two times as high as that of AZ91 alloy, and Ti70Al30N coating exhibits the highest hardness. The wear resistance of the hard coatings increases obviously as result of their high hardness.     

Triode plasma nitriding and PVD coating: A successful pre-treatment combination to improve the wear resistance of DLC coatings on Ti6Al4V alloy

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings have found great applicability in the automotive industry because of their low friction coefficient and high wear resistance. Nevertheless, their tribological performance can be greatly reduced on soft substrates such as titanium alloys. The hard DLC coating cannot usually follow elastic and plastic deformation of the substrate without failing. In order to overcome this property mismatch between hard coating and soft substrate, triode plasma nitriding was applied as a pre-treatment to improve the mechanical properties of the Ti6Al4V alloy and further enhance the load support for the DLC coating. DLC and multilayered TiN/DLC, CrN/DLC CrAlN/DLC coatings were deposited onto “standard” and plasma nitrided Ti6Al4V substrates. Triode plasma nitriding increased the load-bearing capacity of the coating/substrate system, as higher critical adhesion loads were recorded for DLC coatings on plasma nitrided Ti6Al4V substrates. This treatment also reduced the wear rate of the DLC coating/substrate. Further load support and lower wear rates were achieved by using TiN, CrN and CrAlN as intermediate layers on plasma nitrided Ti6Al4V substrates.     

Corrosion resistance of Ti–6Al–4V alloy with nitride coatings in Ringer’s solution

The corrosion behaviour of Ti–6Al–4V alloy with nitride coatings was investigated in Ringer’s solution at 36 and 40 °С. Nitride coatings of different composition, thickness and surface quality were formed because of changing nitrogen partial pressure from 1 to 10⁵ Ра and nitriding temperature from 850 to 900 °С. Results shown that nitride coatings improve anticorrosion properties of alloy at both solution temperatures. Corrosion resistance of alloy increases with the content increase of TiN phase in nitride coating. With increase of temperature from 36 to 40 °С the corrosion resistance of alloy is determined significantly by quality of nitride coating.     

PVD涂层刀具高速铣削CoCrMo合金的性能研究

目的为了提高涂层硬质合金刀具的切削性能,研究了物理气相沉积PVD法制备的涂层硬质合金铣刀在高速干式环境下的铣削性能。方法采用阴极电弧技术制备了TiN、TiAlN以及TiAlSiN涂层硬质合金铣刀刀头,通过一同沉积涂层的硬质合金圆片,间接测量得出涂层的显微硬度、厚度和平均摩擦系数,并以CoCrMo合金为切削对象,进行了PVD涂层与无涂层刀具高速铣削下的对比试验。结果TiAlSiN显微硬度最高达3800HV,摩擦系数达0.3,TiAlN涂层平均膜厚为2μm,间接测得TiN、TiAlN以及TiAlSiN涂层的结合力依次为60、58、42N。在三者的切削性能中,TiAlSiN涂层的切削性能比TiAlN和TiN涂层的好,同等切削参数时,TiN刀具的高速铣削时间最短,TiAlSiN涂层的平均磨损值为0.1895,TiN的平均磨损值为0.3047。结论涂层中添加Al、Si,极大地提高了刀具的使用性能,改善了刀具切削过程中的耐磨性、红硬性,极大地延长了刀具的使用寿命。TiAlSiN涂层的硬度高,耐磨损性好,切削性能好,适合高速铣削加工。     

Chromium carbide–CNT nanocomposites with enhanced mechanical properties

Chromium carbide is widely used as a tribological coating material in high-temperature applications requiring high wear resistance and hardness. Herein, an attempt has been made to further enhance the mechanical and wear properties of chromium carbide coatings by reinforcing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as a potential replacement of soft binder matrix using plasma spraying. The microstructures of the sprayed CNT-reinforced Cr₃C₂ coatings were characterized using transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The mechanical properties were assessed using micro-Vickers hardness, nanoindentation and wear measurements. CNT reinforcement improved the hardness of the coating by 40% and decreased the wear rate of the coating by almost 45–50%. Cr₃C₂ reinforced with 2 wt.% CNT had an elastic modulus 304.5 ± 29.2 GPa, hardness of 1175 ± 60 VH_0.300 and a coefficient of friction of 0.654. It was concluded that the CNT reinforcement increased the wear resistance by forming intersplat bridges while the improvement in the hardness was attributed to the deformation resistance of CNTs under indentation.     

Structural and mechanical properties of corundum and cubic (AlxCr1−x)2+yO3−y coatings grown by reactive cathodic arc evaporation in as-deposited and annealed states

Coatings of (Al_xCr_1?x)_2+yO_3?y with 0.51 ? x ? 0.84 and 0.1 ? y ? 0.5 were deposited on hard cemented carbide substrates in an industrial cathodic arc evaporation system from powder-metallurgy-prepared Cr/Al targets in pure O₂ and O₂ + N₂ atmospheres. The substrate temperature and bias in all the deposition runs were 575 °C and ?120 V, respectively. The composition of the coatings measured by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and elastic recoil detection analysis differed from that of the facing targets by up to 11%. Microstructure analyses performed by symmetrical X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy showed that corundum, cubic or mixed-phase coatings formed, depending on the Cr/Al ratio of the coatings and O₂ flow per active target during deposition. The corundum phase was promoted by high Cr content and high O₂ flow per target, while the cubic phase was observed mostly for high Al content and low O₂ flow per active target. In-situ annealing of the cubic coatings resulted in phase transformation from cubic to corundum, completed in the temperature range of 900–1100 °C, while corundum coatings retained their structure in the same range of annealing temperatures. Nanoindentation hardness of the coatings with Cr/Al ratio <0.4 was 26–28 GPa, regardless of the structure. Increasing the Cr content of the coatings resulted in increased hardness of 28–30 GPa for corundum coatings. Wear resistance testing in a turning operation showed that coatings of Al–Cr–O have improved resistance to crater wear at the cost of flank wear compared with TiAlN coatings.     

The structure and mechanical and tribological properties of TiBCN nanocomposite coatings

TiBCN nanocomposite coatings were deposited in a closed field unbalanced magnetron sputtering system using pulsed magnetron sputtering of a TiBC compound target with various Ar/N₂ mixtures. TiBCN coatings were characterized using X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, nanoindentation, Rockwell C indentation and ball-on-disk wear tests. The coatings with a nitrogen content of less than 8 at.% exhibited superhardness values in the range of 44–49 GPa, but also showed poor adhesion and low wear resistance. Improvements in the coating adhesion, H/E ratio and wear resistance were achieved together with a decrease in the coating hardness to 35–45 GPa as the N content in the coatings was increased from 8 to 15 at.%. The microstructure of the coatings changed from a nano-columnar to a nanocomposite structure in which 5–8 nm nanocrystalline Ti(B,C) and Ti(N,C) compounds were embedded in an amorphous matrix consisting of BN, free carbon and CN phases. With a further increase in the N content in the coatings to levels greater than 20 at.%, the inter-particle spacing of the nanocrystalline compounds increased significantly due to the formation of a large amount of the amorphous BN phase, which also led to low hardness and poor wear resistance of the TiBCN coatings.     

α-Alumina coatings on WC/Co substrates by physical vapor deposition

Physical vapor deposition coatings for cutting tools may be deposited by, e.g. reactive magnetron sputtering. Alumina growth in Ar/O₂ gas mixtures gives rise to problems due to insulating layers on targets, and hysteresis effects with respect to oxygen gas flow. In this paper is described a technology for the deposition of crystalline alumina: reactive high power impulse magnetron sputtering. Pure Al was used as target material, and the cemented carbide (WC/Co) substrates were kept at 500–650 °C. Hysteresis effects with respect to oxygen gas flow were alleviated, which enabled stable growth at a high deposition rate. The high power impulses were helpful in obtaining a crystalline oxide coating. X-ray diffraction and cross-section transmission electron microscopy showed that α-alumina films were formed. Technological testing of these PVD alumina coatings, with state-of-the-art AlTiN as benchmark, showed significantly improved crater wear resistance in steel turning.