Hard AlTiN, AlCrN PVD coatings for machining of austenitic stainless steel

The austenitic stainless steels in general are considered to be difficult to machine materials. This is mainly due to the high plasticity and tendency to work-harden of the austenitic stainless steel, which usually results in severe cutting conditions. Additionally, austenitic stainless steels have much lower thermal conductivity as compared to structural carbon steels; this inflicts high thermal impact within the chip-tool contact zone, which significantly increase the cutting tool wear rate. The machineability of austenitic stainless steels can be improved due to application of coated cutting tools. Hard PVD coating with low thermal conductivity and improved surface finish should be used in this case. This can result in enhancement of frictional characteristics at the tool/workpiece interface as well as chip evacuation process. In this study the stainless steel plates were machined using cemented carbide finishing end mills with four high aluminum containing PVD coatings namely: AlCrN, AlCrNbN, fine grained (fg) AlTiN and nano-crystalline (nc) AlTiN. Both AlTiN and AlCrN-based coatings have high oxidation resistances due to formation of aluminum oxide surface layers. The influence of surface post-deposition treatment on tool wear intensity was investigated. The coating surface texture before and after post-deposition treatment was analyzed by means of the Abbot-Firestone ratio curves. Minimal wear intensity after length of cut 150 m was achieved for cutting tools with the nc-AlTiN coating.     

Friction and wear properties of TiN,TiAlN, AlTiN and CrAlN PVD nitride coatings

Four nitride coatings, TiN, TiAlN, AlTiN and CrAlN were deposited on YG6 (WC + 6 wt.% Co) cemented carbide by cathodic arc-evaporation technique. The friction and wear properties were investigated and compared using ball-on-disc method at high speed with SiC ball as a counter material. The tests were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometer, energy dispersive X-ray, micro hardness tester and an optical profilometer. The results showed that TiN and TiAlN coatings presented lower friction coefficient and lower wear rate, and that high Al content AlTiN and CrAlN coatings didn't present better anti-wear properties in this test. Oxidation and abrasive wear were the main wear mechanism of TiN coating. In spite of the observation of micro-grooves and partial fractures, TiAlN possessed perfect tribological properties compared with the other coatings. High Al content increased the chemical reactivity and aroused severe adhesive wear of AlTiN coating. CrAlN coating presented better properties of anti-spalling and anti-adhesion, but abundant accumulated debris accelerated wear of the coating under this enclosed wear environment.     

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.     

Metallurgical Characteristics of TiAlN/AlCrN Coating Synthesized by the PVD Process on a Cutting Insert

TiAlN/AlCrN coating was deposited on a tungsten carbide insert, using the plasma-enhanced physical vapor deposition (PEPVD) process. The microstructure of the coating was examined and it was found that the TiAlN/AlCrN coating was uniform, highly dense, and less porous. The different phases formed in the coating were analyzed using the x-ray diffraction. The hardness and scratch resistance were measured using the nanoindentation tester and scratch tester, respectively. TiAlN/AlCrN exhibited higher hardness, higher Young’s modulus, and superior scratch resistance when compared to the conventional coatings, such as TiAlN, AlCrN, and TiN. The surface morphology of the coating was characterized using the atomic force microscope (AFM). The surface roughness was found to be lesser in the TiAlN/AlCrN coating. The TiAlN/AlCrN coating has proved to have better corrosion resistance, compared to the uncoated carbide substrate.     

Design and performance of AlTiN and TiAlCrN PVD coatings for machining of hard to cut materials

Machining of hard to cut materials such as hardened steels and high temperature strong aerospace materials is a challenge of modern manufacturing. Two categories of the aluminum-rich TiAlN-based Physical Vapor Deposited (PVD) coatings, namely AlTiN and TiAlCrN, are commonly used for this area of application. A comparative investigation of the structural characteristics, various micro-mechanical properties, oxidation resistance and service properties of the both coatings has been performed.Crystal structure has been studied using High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR TEM). Electronic structure has been investigated using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). Micro-mechanical properties (microhardness, plasticity index, impact fatigue fracture resistance) have been evaluated using a Micro Materials Nano-Test System. Short-term oxidation resistance has been studied at 900 °C in air. The tool life of the coating was studied during ball nose end milling of hardened H 13 tool steel as well as end milling of aerospace alloys such as Ni-based superalloy (Waspalloy) and Ti alloy (TiAl₆V₄).It was shown that the set of characteristics that control wear performance strongly depend on specific applications. For machining of hardened tool steels, when heavy loads/high temperatures control wear behavior, the coating has to possess a well-known combination of high hot hardness and improved oxidation resistance at elevated temperatures. To achieve these properties, crystal structure for TiAlN-based coatings should be mainly B1, and elemental composition of the coating should ensure formation of strong inter-atomic bonds such as Al-Cr metal-covalent bonds in the TiAlCrN coating. Nano-crystalline structure with grain size of around 10-30 nm enhances necessary properties of the coating.In contrast, for machining of aerospace alloys, when elevated load/temperature combined with intensive adhesive interaction with workpiece material results in unstable attrition wear with deep surface damage, the coating should possess a different set of characteristics. Crystal structure for TiAlN-based coatings is basically B1; but due to a high amount of aluminum, the AlTiN coating contains AlN domains. The coating has a very fine-grained nano-crystalline structure (grains sized around 5 nm). Electron structure of energy levels indicates formation of metallic bonds. This results in plasticity increase at the cost of hot hardness reduction. The surface is able to dissipate energy by means of plastic deformation (instead of crack formation) and in this way, surface damage is reduced.     

Oxide scales formation in nano-crystalline TiAlCrSiYN PVD coatings at elevated temperature

Nano-crystalline TiAlCrSiYN plasma vapor deposited (PVD) coatings were developed for oxidation and wear protection at elevated temperatures. Compositional tuning of the coatings was performed to enhance oxidation protection at elevated temperatures.The oxidation kinetics of the coatings has been studied over 180 h at 900 °C in air. Post-oxidation microstructural examinations of specimens were performed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), secondary electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GDOES). Micro mechanical characteristics of the coating were studied using a micro materials nanotest system. Wear resistance of the coatings were studied during turning of Inconel 718.Experimental results clearly indicate that the aluminum-rich PVD TiAlCrSiYN coatings with 60 at.% of Al can improve oxidation resistance of titanium aluminide alloy at the temperature 900 °C as well as wear resistance during machining of Inconel 718. It was shown that during oxidation, continuous protective alumina-based oxide films form on the surface. These oxides are predominantly (Al,Cr)₂O₃-based films. Self-healing behavior of the TiAlCrSiYN coatings was observed in its ultra-fine nano-crystalline structure.     

Hydrothermal corrosion of TiAlN and CrN PVD films on stainless steel

Hydrothermal corrosion of thin TiAlN and CrN PVD films (of 3μm thickness) in 100 MPa water over a temperature range of 20-950 °C is compared to the behavior of TiN films over the same T-P conditions. Corrosion resistance increases in the sequence TiN → TiAlN → CrN. A FeTiO₃ (ilmenite) layer on the surface of the TiAlN film is almost chromium-free and provides protective properties up to 700 °C, whilst ülvospinel formation leads to spallation of oxide scale due to high level growth stresses. Formation of a very stable spinel scale on the surface of the CrN films provides long-term corrosion protection in 100 MPa water up to 800 °C. Nitride films on low-alloyed steel can substitute for expensive super alloy in wet air oxidation systems, with working temperatures up to 700 °C in the case of TiAlN, or 800 °C in the case of CrN coatings.     

Multi-functional nano-multilayered AlTiN/Cu PVD coating for machining of Inconel 718 superalloy

Machining of Ni-based aerospace alloys is one of the major challenges of modern manufacturing. Application of cemented carbide tooling with nano-multilayered AlTiN/Cu PVD coating results in a significant tool life improvement under conditions of turning the hard-to-machine aerospace Ni-based Inconel 718 superalloy. Studies of the structure, properties, tribological and wear performance of the nano-multilayered AlTiN/Cu PVD coating have been performed. The structure of the coating has been investigated using High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy. Various properties of the coating including microhardness, thermal conductivity and coefficient of friction vs. temperature were measured.Investigations of the coated tool life, wear behavior and chip formation for cutting tools with nano-multilayered AlTiN/Cu PVD coating were performed. Morphology of the worn tools has been studied using SEM/EDX. AlTiN/Cu coatings present multi-functionality because they combine self-lubricating behavior with reduced thermal conductivity. This beneficial combination of properties results in significant improvement of the coated tool life.     

Thermal stability and age hardening of supersaturated AlCrN hard coatings

Abstract

During advanced machining processes (high speed and dry cutting), the temperature at the cutting edge can exceed 1000°C. For modern protective hard coatings, thermal stability is of major interest. Equally important are superior mechanical properties, such as hardness, remaining at a high level over a wide temperature range. AlCrN coatings perform well in cutting tests and show excellent oxidation resistance as well as good tribological behaviour. In this work, supersaturated cubic Al_0.7Cr_0.3N coatings deposited by cathodic arc evaporation are studied. The phase and microstructure evolution of the material is investigated up to 1450°C using a combination of differential scanning calorimetry, thermal gravimetric analysis, mass spectrometry, X-ray diffraction and analytical transmission electron microscopy. During annealing up to 925°C, hexagonal AlN precipitates are formed at grain boundaries. At higher temperatures, a transformation of the remaining cubic AlCrN matrix into Cr via Cr₂N takes place, accompanied by a release of nitrogen. After annealing up to 1450°C, the AlN grains coarsen and coalesce around the Cr and Cr₂N grains. The results explain the superior cutting performance by the formation of precipitates, but also demonstrate the limitations in usage at high temperature regimes due to decomposition. Nevertheless, the substitution of Cr in the CrN lattice by Al has proven to increase the decomposition resistance significantly. Finally, nanoindentation experiments reveal that AlCrN coatings retain hardness beyond the stage of residual stress recovery up to 900°C, demonstrating an age hardening process.     

Characterisation and performance of partially filtered arc TiAlN coatings

It is now being recognised that the level of residual stress in physical vapour deposited (PVD) coatings is yet another important physical property of thin film PVD coating parameters that can critically affect their performance. In this study, titanium aluminium nitride (TiAlN) coatings were deposited using a dual source filtered arc evaporation system with a view to determine the effect of bias voltage increased from −50 to −250 V, the residual stress in the coating as well as the adhesion and cutting tool performance. The X-ray diffraction methods of Bragg–Brentano and glancing angle parallel beam (sin²ψ) were used to study the texture and residual stress in the as-deposited coatings. The results showed that as the bias voltage increased from –50 to –250 V and the residual stress increased from 7.67 to 11.81 GPa (compressive). However, little change in residual stress was observed with an increase in arc current from 75 to 175 A. All coatings exhibited a preferred orientation in the {111} direction, however, a reduction in the {111} intensity was observed for the coating deposited at –50 V. Coating hardness was observed to increase from 26.3 to 31.7 GPa when the bias voltage was increased from –50 to –150 V. However, no further increase was observed at –250 V. No effect on hardness was noted for any change in arc current. Scratch adhesion results showed little effect on the bias voltage with critical load values of 46, 48 and 43 N for the −50, −150 and −250 V biased coatings, respectively. However, increasing the arc currents above 75 A resulted in a reduction of critical load from 48 N for 75 A to 36 and 37 N for 125 and 175 A arc currents, respectively. Damiler Benz Rockwell ‘C’ adhesion tests carried out also revealed a similar trend. The Al content of the coating was found to decrease with increasing bias voltage but increase with an increase in arc current. Accelerated drill life tests suggested that an increase in residual stress associated with the higher bias voltages does affect tool life. For arc current variation, the balance between intrinsic and extrinsic stresses that contribute to the total residual stress may affect cutting tool life.     

Nano-impact test on a TiAlN PVD coating and correlation between experimental and FEM results

Nano-impact test on PVD coatings is an efficient method for investigating film failure mechanisms. During this test, the coating is subjected to repetitive impacts by a diamond indenter, inducing high local deformations and stresses into the film material, which may lead to coating failure.In the paper, coated specimens with a TiAlN PVD film were investigated by nano-impact tests. The nano-impacts were conducted at several loads and for various test durations. For explaining the attained results, the nano-impact test was simulated by a developed three dimensional finite elements method (FEM) model, considering a piecewise linear plasticity material law. The employed software was the LS-DYNA package; its feature of constrained tied nodes failure was used for simulating crack formation and propagation, as the plastic strain develops and exceeds the coating failure strain. The film elasto-plastic properties, used in the FEM-calculations, were determined by nanoindentations and analytical evaluation of the related results. During the nano-impact indenter penetration, it was assumed that the coating material at the FEM model node regions can withstand the applied load up to a maximum value, which corresponds to the coating rupture stress. Over this load limit, the related nodes are disconnected from the neighboring finite elements. If all nodes of an element are disconnected, the element is released for simulating a crack formation and it becomes an inactive separate entity. In this way, the stress fields developed in the film material and its coating fracture progress in terms of imprint depth versus the repetitive indenter penetrations are analytically described. The attained results converge sufficiently with the experimental ones. The developed nano-impact FEM-simulation predicts the film failure initiation and evolution, which depend on the impact load.     

Stress and preferred orientation in nitride-based PVD coatings

Nitride-based coatings are nowadays widely studied both from fundamental and technological point of views due to their unique physical and mechanical properties. Among the binary nitrides, TiN is the most stable thermodynamically and has been widely used due to the combination of its covalent and metal-like characteristics. Coatings produced by Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) techniques generally exhibit a crystallographic texture, which in turn may strongly affect their properties, such as hardness, wear resistance, or diffusion barrier properties in microelectronic devices. Therefore great efforts have been made in recent years to understand the underlying mechanisms governing texture development in nitride thin films. In particular, the issue of stress build-up during PVD growth and its possible interplay with film preferred orientation is essential to address.We present a brief overview of stress and preferred orientation in nitride-based thin films, either in the form of single-, multi-layered or nanocomposite coatings. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) was used in the standard θ-2θ configuration to study the texture development with film thickness, while the sin²ψ method combined with linear elasticity theory was employed to determine the complete strain/stress state. XRD measurements were made in the framework of the crystallite group method, which is of prime importance in thin films exhibiting a mixed texture, as it enables to selectively measure the elastic strain in a given subset of grains. For PVD films grown with energetic particles, the appropriate modeling requires the use of a triaxial stress tensor, including a hydrostatic stress component to take into account the local distortions induced by growth-defects. This approach enables us to determine the ‘stress-free and defect-free lattice parameter’, a₀, solely linked to chemical effect.Illustrations will be given for fiber-textured TiN and ZrN films deposited on Si substrates, epitaxial TiN layers as well as epitaxial TiN sub-layers in TiN/Cu multilayers grown on (001) MgO single crystal substrates. Ternary TiN-based coatings, either in the form of solid solutions or nanocomposites will be also investigated.     

Characterization of nanocrystalline AlTiN coatings synthesized by a cathodic-arc deposition process

Graded and multilayered Al_xTi_1−xN nanocrystalline coatings were synthesized by using cathodic-arc evaporation (CAE) process. Ti₃₃Al₆₇ and Ti₅₀Al₅₀ alloy cathodes were used for the deposition of Al_xTi_1−xN nanocrystalline coatings with different Al/(Ti+Al) ratios. Optical emission spectra of the plasma species including atomic and ionized Ti, atomic Al, excited and ionized nitrogen (N₂ and N₂⁺) revealed that the excitation, ionization and charge transfer reactions of the Al-Ti-N plasma occurred during the Al_xTi_1−xN coating process. A preferred (111) orientation was shown in the Al_0.67Ti_0.33N with high Al/(Ti+Al) atomic content ratio (0.63) and small grain size (29 nm). The graded Al_0.67Ti_0.33N/TiN possessed the highest hardness of Hv_25 g 3850 ± 180. However, the multilayered Al_0.67Ti_0.33N/TiN coating supported a longer tool life with lower residual stress. It has been found that the wear performance and mechanical properties of the films were correlated with the Al/(Ti+Al) content ratio and multilayered structure.     

Electrochemical characteristics of steel coated with TiN and TiAlN coatings

The corrosion protection characteristics of titanium nitride (TiN) and titanium–aluminum nitride (TiAlN) coatings produced on cemented carbon steel targets were investigated in aqueous sodium chloride solution. All coatings were produced by cathodic arc plasma deposition. The results indicated that it was possible to follow the corrosion behavior of the coated systems over a period of 300–900 h of immersion. It was found that the TiN and TiAlN coatings had a lower corrosion rate (current density), about three orders of magnitude lower than the untreated steel substrates. The metal substrate was actually passive in these experimental conditions, and exhibited an electrochemical impedance response that could be described by means of the same equivalent circuit than for the coating. Nevertheless, the analysis of the impedance parameters allowed for direct information concerning the enhancement of the corrosion resistance of the coated system as compared to the passive uncoated metal substrate to be extracted. The major corrosion mechanism for the coated samples arises from electrolyte penetration in the pores of the deposits, which may eventually lead to the development of localized forms of corrosion.     

Adhesion evaluation of PVD coatings to aluminium substrate

In this study the adhesion of physical vapour deposition coatings to aluminium substrate has been evaluated using a modified test similar to the scratch hardness method. The technique relies on the development of a number of scratches of different width on the coated surface produced at a range of loads. Metallic titanium and titanium nitride coatings of different thicknesses were deposited by a PVD technique. The effect of coating structure, process parameters, and the presence of an interlayer between the coating and the substrate was investigated. Experimental data show that the technique can be used to evaluate the adhesion of PVD coatings to aluminium substrates. The sensitivity of the test method is sufficiently high to characterise between coatings produced under different conditions, but the interpretation of the results is not always straightforward. Comparison of the results indicate that the method could provide useful information on coating performance, although it suffers from many problems associated with the critical load in the conventional scratch adhesion test.     

Wear of PVD Ti/TiN multilayer coatings

The wear characteristics of PVD Ti/TiN multilayer coatings subjected to two-body abrasion and particle erosion have been studied using diamond slurry and silicon carbide particles as abrasive medium and erodant, respectively. The abrasive wear rate of the Ti/TiN multilayer coatings was found to increase with the relative amount of metallic Ti in the coatings. In erosion, the lowest wear rate was recorded for the homogeneous TiN coating. For the Ti/TiN multilayer coatings the erosion rate was found to decrease with an increasing relative amount of metallic Ti in the coatings. It is concluded that the concept of multilayered coatings offers a potent means to tailor the properties of tribological coatings. In particular, demands of different applications can be met by adjusting the relative thickness of metallic Ti in Ti/TiN coatings. The amount of metallic Ti can, for example, be used to control the coating residual stress state. Multilayered Ti/TiN coatings seem promising for combined wear and corrosion protection.     

偏压对TiAlN涂层微观结构、力学和摩擦学性能的影响（英文）

采用磁过滤真空阴极弧在ZL109合金表面沉积由TiAl和TiAlN组成的TiAlN多层涂层,并系统研究偏压对涂层微观结构和性能的影响。结果表明,涂层具有以TiAlN相为主的多相结构。随着偏压的增大,由于原子迁移率和晶格畸变的增加,TiAlN择优取向由(200)晶面向(111)晶面转变。同时,涂层的硬度、弹性模量和附着力表现出相同的变化趋势,即先增大后减小。当偏压为75 V时,TiAlN涂层具有最高的硬度(～30.3 GPa)、弹性模量(～229.1 GPa)、附着力(HF 2)和最低的磨损率(～4.44×10^-5 mm³/(N·m))。与未涂覆ZL109合金相比,TiAlN涂层合金表面的力学和摩擦学性能得到有效提高。     

Mechanical and tribological evaluation of PVD WC/C coatings

Five different WC/C coatings deposited by physical vapour deposition (PVD) on high speed-steel (HSS) have been evaluated with respect to their mechanical and tribological properties. For all coatings a chromium layer was deposited first to enhance coating adhesion. The carbide phase (WC) and the carbon (C) phase were deposited simultaneously by direct-current magnetron sputtering of a WC target and plasma-assisted chemical vapour deposition using hydrocarbon gas, respectively. The influence of the chromium interface layer thickness, the amount of WC phase and the flow of hydrocarbon gas on the mechanical and tribological properties of the coatings have been investigated. The coatings have been characterised with respect to their chemical composition (glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy), hardness (Vickers microhardness), morphology (scanning electron microscopy, SEM), roughness (profilometry), residual stress (beam bending), critical load (scratch testing) and abrasive wear resistance (the “dimple grinder test”). Furthermore, a ball-on-plate test was employed to obtain information about the frictional properties and sliding wear resistance of the coatings. The wear mechanisms and wear debris were analysed by SEM, Auger electron spectroscopy and electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis. All WC/C coatings displayed a thickness between 2 and 4 μm and a surface roughness in the range of 10 to 70 nm. The hardness varied between 1500 and 1800 HV. The coating residual stress was found to range from −2.5 to −0.5 GPa. The scratch test revealed a relatively high critical normal load, i.e., a relatively good adhesion of the WC/C coatings to the HSS. The abrasive wear resistance was found to be very high, in fact equally as high as that of PVD TiN. In the sliding wear test it could be seen that the coating containing the lowest amount of carbide phase (WC), i.e., the highest amount of carbon phase (C), and which had the highest compressive residual stress yielded the lowest friction and wear rate against steel. In addition, this coating was also found to yield the lowest wear rate of the counter material. In summary, a WC/C coating with overall good mechanical and tribological properties was obtained provided a relatively thin chromium layer was deposited first and if a relatively high acetylene gas flow was utilised during deposition of the WC/C layer.     

Microstructural and tribological behavior of TiAlN/MoS2-Ti coatings

1. Introduction The search for a better wear resistant coating has resulted in the development of a class of hard, solid-lubricated coatings. The driving force behind the coating industry was the need to develop a proc-ess that will extend the life of steel machine parts, cutting tools, molding dies, and sliding parts. For example, in the stamping industry, severe abrasive wear and galling (cold metal welding) are expected. There is the need for an efficient application of lu-bricants both for…