Growth,mechanical properties,and tribological performance of TiAlN/NbN and NbN/TiAlN bilayer coatings

Three different coatings, namely TiAlN, TiAlN (external)/NbN (internal) and NbN (external)/TiAlN (internal), were deposited on cemented carbides by arc ion plating. The comparative investigation conducted in this study elucidates the effect of the NbN layer and coating systems on the growth, mechanical properties, and tribological performance of the coatings. The results showed that the surface of the TiAlN and TiAlN/NbN coatings was smoother when TiAlN served as the external layer. The NbN/TiAlN coating, wherein NbN formed the external layer, had a much rougher but more symmetrical surface. With the introduction of the NbN layer, the increased micro stress induced a lower adhesion strength in the TiAlN/NbN and NbN/TiAlN coatings. The TiAlN/NbN and NbN/TiAlN coatings exhibited higher hardness and hardness/effective elastic modulus (H/E*). During the friction test, when the temperature was elevated to 700 °C, the tribological performance of the monolayer TiAlN coating was the lowest because of the TiO₂-induced breakage of the dense tribo-oxide film. The NbN layer participated in the formation of a NbO_x film at elevated temperatures, which was responsible for the high tribological performance of the two bilayer coatings. When the NbN layer was on the outermost layer and in direct contact with the elevated temperature atmosphere, the NbN/TiAlN coating generated a tribo-oxide film with high integrity, and its coefficient of friction decreased by 27% of that at room temperature. Therefore, the NbN/TiAlN coating exhibited the highest wear resistance at 700 °C.     

Effect of Na2SiO3 concentration on corrosion resistance and wear resistance of MAO ceramic film on the Al-Mg-Sc alloy

Although Al-Mg-Sc alloy was widely applied to aviation aerospace field, they were vulnerable to local corrosion and wear in the process of long-term service in severe environmental conditions. In this paper, micro-arc oxidation (MAO) ceramic films on Al-Mg-Sc alloy substrate were prepared in electrolyte solutions with different Na₂SiO₃ concentrations, and the corrosion resistance and wear resistance of the MAO samples were studied. The experimental results of potentiodynamic polarization (PDS) and long-term immersion tests indicated that the MAO ceramic film prepared in 10 g/L Na₂SiO₃ electrolyte solution had the best corrosion resistance, as manifested by no obvious cracks, serious collapse and corrosion products on the sample surface and no deep cracks and corrosion paths in the cross-sectional area. The increase of Na₂SiO₃ concentration in electrolyte solution also improved the wear resistance of MAO ceramic film, as manifested by low wear depth (10 μm)and width (1 mm) of the MAO ceramic film prepared in 10 g/L Na₂SiO₃ electrolyte solution against GCr15 steel ball. Studies in mechanisms suggested that as the Na₂SiO₃ concentration in the electrolyte increased, the MAO ceramic film became denser, which could prevent the penetration of corrosive medium, promote the generation of the anti-wear layer with SiO₂ as the main component to enhance the wear resistance. MAO ceramic film formed in Na₂SiO₃ electrolyte solution provided good protective performance for Al-Mg-Sc alloy in the corrosion and wear conditions, which had a broader application prospect.     

Preparation of a thick sponge-like structured amorphous silica ceramic coating on 6061 aluminum alloy by plasma electrolytic oxidation in TEOS solution

Plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) was performed on 6061 aluminum alloy in organosilicon electrolyte using a stepwise constant potential control method for 23 min. The resulting coating was a sponge-like structured amorphous silica ceramic with a thickness of about 130 μm. Its exceptional wear resistance was attributed to the high hardness of the silica ceramic and the low elastic modulus of the sponge-like structure. The corrosion resistance was enhanced by a dense layer of approximately 2 μm between the coating and the substrate. Impressively, the indentation depth of the PEO coating during nano-indentation tests was only 50–60% of that of 6061 aluminium alloy under varying loads, while the recovery depth of the PEO coating after unloading was 2.5–3.1 times greater than that of 6061 aluminium alloy. Due to its special composition and structure, the PEO coating caused serious wear to the high hardness Si₃N₄ friction balls during the friction and wear test. In the electrochemical tests, the coating reduced the corrosion current density from 1.056 × 10⁻⁵A·cm⁻² to 1.239 × 10⁻⁷A·cm⁻², while extending the passivation region from 0.322 V to 1.032 V.     

Investigation of the tribological and biomechanical properties of CrAlTiN and CrN/NbN coatings on SST 304

This study examines the influence of thin layer coatings of CrAlTiN and CrN/NbN, deposited via physical vapor, on the biocompatibility, mechanical, tribological, and corrosion properties of stainless steel 304. The microstructure and morphology of the thin CrAlTiN and CrN/NbN layers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), EDX, and X-ray diffraction. The pin on disc wear test was performed on bare and metal-nitride coated SST 304 under a 15 N load at 60 rpm and showed that the wear rates of the thin CrAlTiN and CrN/NbN film coatings were lower than the bare substrate wear ratio. The coefficients of friction (COFs) attained were 0.64, 0.5, and 0.55 for the bare substrate, CrN/NbN coating, and CrAlTiN coating, respectively. Nano indentation tests were also performed on CrAlTiN-coated and CrN/NbN-coated SST 304. The nanohardnesses and Young's moduli of the coated substrates were 28 GPa and 390 GPa (CrN/NbN-coated) and 33 GPa and 450 GPa (CrA1TiN-coated), respectively. For comparison, the nanohardness and Young's modulus of the uncoated substrate were 4.8 GPa and 185 GPa, respectively. Corrosion tests were conducted, and the behaviors of the bare and metal nitride-deposited substrates were studied in CaCl₂ for seven days. The corrosion Tafel test results showed that the metal-nitride coatings offer proper corrosion resistance and can protect the substrate against penetration of CaCl₂ electrolyte. The CrN/NbN-coated substrates showed better corrosion resistance compared to the CrAlTiN-coated ones. In evaluating the biocompatibility of the CrAlTiN and CrN/NbN coatings, the human cell line MDA-MB-231 was found to attach and proliferate well on the surfaces of the two coatings.     

Investigation on behavior and mechanism of enhanced water vapor corrosion resistance for (Lu0.25Yb0.25Er0.25Y0.25)2SiO5 environmental barrier coating

Rare-earth monosilicate (RE₂SiO₅) have been considered to be a promising material for the environmental barrier coating because of their superior thermal and mechanical properties. However, the water vapor corrosion resistance of single-component RE-silicate materials, such as Y₂SiO₅, should be further improved. The high-entropy design is one of the most suitable methods to enhance the corrosion resistance for single-component RE-silicate materials. In this work, the multicomponent RE-silicate ((Lu_0.25Yb_0.25Er_0.25Y_0.25)₂SiO₅, (4HES)) and single-component RE-silicate (Y₂SiO₅) coatings were investigated with regard to its water vapor corrosion behaviors at 1350 °C for 300 h. A thinner and denser corrosion layer was generated in the 4HES coating, indicating that the 4HES coating possessed better corrosion resistance than the Y₂SiO₅ coating. The improved corrosion resistance is attributed to the better hydrophobic property as well as the more stable crystal structure of the rare-earth oxide and 4HES phase which was resulted from the high-entropy design.     

Preparation and characterization of nanocrystalline β-Nb2N coating on 430 ferritic stainless steel by disproportionation of Nb(IV) ions in molten salt

β-Nb₂N, a transition metal nitride, has attracted significant interest due to its high hardness, high electrical conductivity, as well as its good corrosion and wear resistance. Herein, a simple novel method to prepare nanocrystalline β-Nb₂N coating on 430 stainless steel substrate by disproportionation of Nb(IV) ions in molten salt is developed and presented. Through this method, a dense, crack-free, uniform, and well-adhered nanocrystalline β-Nb₂N coating is obtained in NaCl–KCl–NaF–NbCl₅–Nb melt at 850 °C for 5 h. Additionally, effects of temperature and duration on β-Nb₂N coating formation are also investigated. Results indicate that higher temperature and longer duration are more favorable for β-Nb₂N coating formation. Furthermore, the corrosion behavior of the coating was studied by potentiodynamic polarization in 3.5% NaCl solution. Result suggests that the β-Nb₂N coating can significantly improve the pitting corrosion resistance of 430 FSS substrate.     

Tribological study of amorphous BC4N coatings

Amorphous BC₄N thin films with a thickness of ∼ 2 μm have been deposited by Ion Beam Assisted Deposition (IBAD) on hard steels substrates, in order to study the wear behavior under high loads and the applicability as protective coatings. The bonding structure of the a-BC₄N film was assessed by X-ray Absorption Near Edge Spectroscopy (XANES) and Infrared Spectroscopy, indicating atomic mixing of B–C–N atoms, with a proportion of ∼ 70% sp² hybrids and ∼ 30% sp³ hybrids. Nanoindentation shows a hardness of ∼ 18 GPa and an elastic modulus of ∼ 170 GPa. A detailed tribological study is performed by pin-on-disk tests, combined with spectromicroscopy of the wear track at the coating and wear scar at pin. The tests were performed at ambient conditions, against WC/Co counterface balls under loads up to 30 N, with the sample rotating at 375 rpm. The coatings suffer a continuous wear, at a constant rate of 2 × 10^− 7 mm³/Nm, without catastrophic failure due to film spallation, and show a coefficient of friction of ∼ 0.2.     

Effects of pH value and temperature on the corrosion behavior of a Ta2N nanoceramic coating in simulated polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell environment

To improve the corrosion resistance and electrical conductivity of Ti-6Al-4V bipolar plates used in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), a novel electro-conductive Ta₂N nanoceramic coating was developed by reactive sputter-deposition using a double cathode glow discharge plasma technique. The microstructure of the coating consisted of fine equiaxed Ta₂N grains with an average grain size of ∼13 nm, which exhibited a strong (101) preferred orientation. To explore the influence of both pH values and temperatures on the corrosion resistance of the coating, the electrochemical behaviors and electronic properties of passive films grown on the Ta₂N coating were systematically investigated using different electrochemical techniques in simulated PEMFC operating environment. It was shown that either increasing the acidity or the temperatures of the solution, the corrosion potential (E_corr) decreased and the corrosion current density (i_corr) increased. At a given temperature or pH value, the Ta₂N coating had a higher E_corr and lower i_corr as compared with uncoated Ti-6Al-4V. The results of EIS measurements showed that with increasing temperature or acidity of the solution, the resistance of the passive film (R_p) formed on the Ta₂N coating decreased slightly, being of the order of magnitude of 10⁷ Ω cm², which was an order of magnitude higher than that of uncoated Ti-6Al-4V. The interfacial contact resistance (ICR) values were found to increase with increasing pH value or decreasing solution temperature, and the ICR values of the Ta₂N coating were markedly lower than that of uncoated Ti-6Al-4V, due to the thinner thickness of passive films. Furthermore, the Ta₂N-coated Ti-6Al-4V is more hydrophobic than bare Ti-6A1-4V, which was favorable for both the simplification of water management and improving corrosion resistance in PEMFC operating environment.     

Complex study of protective Cr3C2–NiAl coatings deposited by vacuum electro-spark alloying,pulsed cathodic arc evaporation,magnetron sputtering,and hybrid technology

Coatings were obtained by vacuum electro-spark alloying (VESA), pulsed cathodic arc evaporation (PCAE), magnetron sputtering (MS) techniques and VESA-PCAE-MS hybrid technology using Cr₃C₂–NiAl electrodes. The structure of the coatings was analyzed using scanning and transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and energy-dispersive spectroscopy. Mechanical properties were determined by nanoindentation, while tribological properties were assessed using pin-on-disk tribometer. Corrosion resistance was estimated by voltammetry in 1 N H₂SO₄ and 3.5%NaCl solutions. Oxidation resistance tests were performed at 800°С in air. The VESA coating had the highest thickness, low friction coefficient and high wear resistance. PCAE coating demonstrated the highest hardness (24 GPa) and elastic recovery (59%), oxidation resistance and superior corrosion resistance both in 1 N H₂SO₄ (i_corr = 70 μА/cm²) and 3.5%NaCl (i_corr = 0.74 μА/cm²) solutions. The MS coating had average mechanical properties and low corrosion current density (71 μА/cm²) in 1 N H₂SO₄. Deposition of coatings using VESA-PCAE-MS hybrid technology led to an increase in corrosion and oxidation resistance at least by 1.5 times in comparison with the VESA coating.     

Structural and mechanical properties of NbN and Nb-Si-N films: Experiment and molecular dynamics simulations

The structural and mechanical properties of NbN and Nb-Si-N films have been investigated both experimentally and theoretically, in their as-deposited and annealed states. The films were deposited using magnetron sputtering at substrate bias (U_B) between 0 and −70 V. While NbN films were found to crystallize in the cubic δ-NbN structure, Nb-Si-N films with Si content of 11–13 at% consisted of a two-phases nanocomposite structure where δ-NbN nanocrystals were embedded in SiN_x amorphous matrix. Films deposited at U_B=0 V were highly (001)-textured. Application of substrate bias potential led to a depletion of light atoms, and caused a grain size refinement concomitantly with the increase of (111) preferred orientations in both films. The maximum hardness was 28 GPa and 32 GPa for NbN and Nb-Si-N films, respectively. NbN and Nb-Si-N films deposited at U_B=−70 V exhibited compressive stress of −3 and −4 GPa, respectively. After vacuum annealing, a decrease in the stress-free lattice parameter was observed for both films, and attributed to alteration of film composition. To obtain insights on interface properties and related mechanical and thermal stability of Nb-Si-N nanocomposite films, first principles molecular dynamics simulations of NbN/SiN_x heterostructures with different structures (cubic and hexagonal) and atomic configurations were carried out. All the hexagonal heterostructures were found to be dynamically stable and weakly dependent on temperature. Calculation of the tensile strain-stress curves showed that the values of ideal tensile strength for the δ-NbN(111)- and ε-NbN(001)-based heterostructures with coherent interfaces and Si₃N₄–like Si₂N₃ interfaces were the highest with values in the range 36–65 GPa, but lower than corresponding values of bulk NbN compound. This suggests that hardness enhancement is likely due to inhibition of dislocation glide at the grain boundary rather than interfacial strengthening due to Si-N chemical bonding.     

Effect of nitrogen pressure on the microstructure,mechanical and electrochemical properties of CrAlN coatings deposited by filter cathode vacuum arc

CrAlN coatings were prepared on Al–Si alloys using filter cathode vacuum arc deposition technique with nitrogen as the reactive gas and Cr₂₅Al₇₅ alloy target as the arc source. The effect of nitrogen pressure on the microstructure, mechanical properties and electrochemical properties of the coatings had been systematically studied. The results showed that the composition, structure and performance of the CrAlN coating depended on the nitrogen pressure. As the nitrogen pressure increased, the Al and Cr content decreased while the N content increased slowly in the coating. Meanwhile, the phase structure gradually changed from AlN phase to CrN phase. The hardness of the CrAlN coating increased significantly with the increase of nitrogen pressure from 0.04 to 0.06 Pa due to the formation of CrN phase and grain refinement. However, further increasing the nitrogen pressure to 0.07 Pa, the hardness was reduced owing to the deterioration of the surface quality caused by target poisoning. Moreover, the adhesion strength of the coating gradually decreases, and the corrosion resistance of the CrAlN coating first increased and then decreased with increasing the nitrogen pressure. The CrAlN coating deposited at a nitrogen pressure of 0.05 Pa had the best corrosion resistance, with the highest polarization resistance, charge transfer resistance and pore resistance, which was related to the combined effect of great compactness and AlN-dominant phase structure in the coating.     

真空离子精饰镀膜技术研究

黄铜基材装饰件表面采用高能级溅射离子镀，镀不锈钢代替电镀钯－镍合金，采用等离子体型阴极弧源－磁控溅射镀技术在不锈钢镀膜表面上镀制TiN/Au透明陶瓷保护膜SiO2,TiO2，并对各膜层的硬度，耐蚀性，耐磨性及相结构进行分析。     

Microstructure and properties of the AlCrMoZrTi/(AlCrMoZrTi)N multilayer high-entropy nitride ceramics films deposited by reactive RF sputtering

The AlCrMoZrTi/(AlCrMoZrTi)N multilayer high-entropy nitride ceramic films (HENCFs) fabricated by reactive RF magnetron sputtering presented (200) preferentially oriented FCC crystal structures. With the increase in the modulation period, the nitrogen content and surface roughness of the multilayer films gradually increased, the template effect between the nanocrystalline and amorphous forms was weakened, and the multilayer interface structure decreased. The S4 film with a modulation period of 1500 nm had the highest hardness and modulus (16.6 and 225.7 GPa, respectively) and the highest H/E* and H³/E*² values. The results of friction experiments showed that the S1 film with the smallest modulation period had a stable friction coefficient and small wear rate on both Si and Cu substrates, and it exhibited the best friction and wear performance due to its low surface roughness, high toughness and compressive yield resistance, and dense multilayer structure. The friction mechanisms of the HECNFs on Si and Cu substrates were mainly adhesive wear, abrasive wear, and a small amount of oxidative wear.     

Corrosion and friction resistance of TiVCrZrWNx high entropy ceramics coatings prepared by magnetron sputtering

High entropy alloy coatings have attracted much attention because of their high hardness, low-level fault energy, and chemical stability. Nevertheless, this type of coating would inevitably suffer from wear, corrosion, aging, and so on. Hence, a novel coating with corrosion and friction resistance would be constructed for broadening its application scenarios. In this work, TiVCrZrWN_x high entropy ceramics coatings were prepared by reactive magnetron sputtering. The microstructure, mechanical properties, friction, and corrosion resistance of the coatings deposited at different nitrogen flow rates have been studied. The microstructure of TiVCrZrWN_x coatings is strongly dependent on the nitrogen flow rate and forms a stable FCC structure when the nitrogen flow rate reaches 24 sccm. The pure TiVCrZrW coating is 15.65 GPa, with the increase of nitrogen flow rate (24 sccm), the coating hardness reaches 21.27 GPa. The corrosion resistance of the coatings also increases continuously. According to the results of the impedance spectrum and polarization curve, the charge transfer resistance value of the coating gradually increases with the content of nitrogen, the current density rapidly decreases to a minimum as the potential increases. In terms of tribological behavior, the formation of V₂O₅ during the sliding in seawater could significantly reduce the coefficient of friction from 0.603 to 0.383. Therefore, TiVCrZrWN_x HECs coatings simultaneously possess high hardness, toughness, and excellent resistance to friction and corrosion, which is expected to provide a new and reliable method for the research field of coatings in the maritime field.     

Wear-corrosion behavior of ultra-thin diamond-like carbon nitride films on aluminum alloy

Diamond-like carbon films exhibit high hardness, high wear resistance and a low friction coefficient. They are extensively utilized in the mechanical, electronic and biomedical industries. This work evaluates the effect of the thickness of ultra-thin diamond-like carbon nitride films on their corrosion properties and their wear-corrosion resistance in a mixed 1 M NaCl + 1 M H₂SO₄ solution using electrochemical methods. The corrosion current density and weight loss of all films during and after wear-corrosion test are also recorded. This work employs ion beam-assisted deposition (IBAD) to deposit DLC nitride films of various thicknesses (1.5, 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0 nm), containing 60% nitrogen gas in the form of a gaseous mixture of C₂H₂ + 60%N₂. The thickness of the films was measured using a transmission electron microscope (TEM). The atomic bonding structures of these DLC nitride films are analyzed using a Raman spectrometer and by electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA). A scanning electron microscope (SEM) was adopted to elucidate the surface morphologies of the specimens after corrosion and wear-corrosion. The results indicated that all of the nitrogen-containing DLC films excellently protected the 5088 Al–Mg alloy substrate with an electroless plated Ni–P interlayer against corrosion, and that the degree of protection increases with the thickness of the film. In the wear-corrosion tests various potentials were applied during wear in the particular corrosive solution. The results further demonstrated that the wear-corrosion resistance of all the nitrogen-containing DLC films was as effective as corrosion protection, and that the wear-corrosion loss decreased as the film thickness increased.     

Tribological behaviors of single and dual sol–gel ceramic films on Ti–6Al–4V

TiO₂, SiO₂, hydroxyapatite (HA), TiO₂–HA and SiO₂–HA thin films with good biocompatibility were grown on Ti–6Al–4V (coded as TC4) substrate by sol–gel and dip-coating processes from specially formulated sols, followed by annealing at 500 °C. The chemical states of some typical elements in the target films were detected by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). High-resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is applied to characterize the surface and cross-sectional morphologies of obtained films. Various phases of the films were characterized by XRD. The tribological properties of thin films sliding against an AISI52100 steel ball were evaluated on a reciprocating friction and wear tester. As a result, the target films were obtained. Compared with the TC4 substrate, all the sol–gel ceramic films are superior in resisting wear. Among all, HA film shows the best resistance while SiO₂ film shows the worst wear resistance both under higher (3 N) and lower load (1 N). TiO₂ shows a good wear resistance under lower load but higher load. Compared with TiO₂, the wear resistance of the dual film TiO₂–HA can be improved under 3 N but deteriorated under 1 N. Compared with SiO₂, the wear resistance of SiO₂–HA is improved both under 3 N and 1 N. Compared with HA, the wear resistances of dual films are deteriorated both under 3 N and 1 N. Under 0.5 N, a very long wear life for TiO₂–HA is also obtained, illustrating that the lower wear resistance of dual films is closely related to the applied load. SEM observation of the morphologies of worn surfaces indicates that the wear of TC4 is characterized by abrasive wear. Differently, abrasion, plastic deformation and micro-crack dominate the wear of ceramic films. The superior friction reduction and wear resistance of HA films are greatly attributed to the slight plastic deformation of the film. Sol–gel is a potential method being applied to implant materials for wear protection according to proper process designs. The single HA film and the dual TiO₂–HA film is suggested for biomedical application from the point of view of wear protection.     

Effect of laser power on microstructure and tribological performance of WC−10Co4Cr coating

In order to enhance wear resistance of cold work molds, WC−10Co4Cr coating was fabricated on Cr12MoV steel by laser cladding. The morphologies, chemical compositions, and phases of obtained coatings were analyzed using a scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy disperse spectroscopy, and X−ray diffraction, respectively. The effect of laser power on the tribological performance was analyzed using a ball−on−plate friction machine, and the wear mechanism was also discussed. The results show that the WC−10Co4Cr coating is composed of WC and Co₆W₆C phases, and the average hardness of coating cross−sections fabricated at the laser power of 1200, 1500, and 1800 W was 1296, 1375, and 1262 HV_0.5, respectively, in which that fabricated at the laser power of 1500 W is the highest among the three kinds of coatings. The average coefficients of friction of coatings fabricated at the laser power of 1200, 1500, and 1800 W are 0.61, 0.52, and 0.59, respectively; and the corresponding wear rates are 64.38, 35.38, and 123.92 μm³•N⁻¹•mm⁻¹, respectively, showing that the coating fabricated at the laser power of 1500 W has best friction reduction and wear resistance. The wear mechanism of WC−10Co4Cr coating is fatigue wear and abrasive wear, which is contributed to the increase of hard WC mass fraction.     

The influence of multilayer structure on mechanical behavior of TiN/TiAlSiN multilayer coating

Nitride coatings have been generally applied on light alloys like titanium and aluminium to promote their multiple performances, including hardness, thermal stability and wear resistance. In this work, TiAlSiN/TiN multilayered (ML) coating and TiAlSiN single-layer (SL) coating were deposited on TC18 (Ti5Al5Mo5V1CrFe) alloy by Multi-arc ion plating technique. The microstructure and chemical composition of the coatings were evaluated by SEM, XRD and XPS. Additionally, hardness, adhesion and wear resistance were measured through nanoindentation, scratch spectrometer and ball-on-disk tribometer. The results present that both ML and SL coating contain three main phases of TiN, Al₂O₃ and Si₃N₄. Nevertheless, the adhesion of ML coating is 62.4 N, compared to that of the SL coating is 51.8 N. The parameter H³/E² as an indication of plastic deformation to evaluate wear resistance shows that the ML coating has high hardness and high toughness concurrently. The tribological study indicated that the wear rate of the ML coated specimen was 1/7 of the SL coated counterpart.     

A novel biomedical TiN-embedded TiO2 nanotubes composite coating with remarkable mechanical properties,corrosion, tribocorrosion resistance,and antibacterial activity

Tribocorrosion is a severe problem in dental implants, artificial joints, and other implants, and it will affect the long-term safety of the implants. To improve the deficiencies of titanium alloys, we combined physical vapor deposition technology and anodic oxidation to prepare TiN to embed TiO₂ nanotube composite coatings (NTNTs-TiN). Results show that the hardness of the NTNTs-TiN composite coatings reaches 33.2 ± 0.6 GPa, and the grains of the composite coatings were further refined. The NTNTs-TiN coating has the smallest average coefficient of friction (0.22) during tribocorrosion. The tribocorrosion resistance of NTNTs-TiN coating in SBF is increased by ∼44 and ∼2 times compared with Ti6Al4V alloy and TiN coating, respectively. The capillarity effect of the lower contact angle of NTNTs-TiN can form a continuous water-lubrication film at the interface between the counter-ball and coating and produce a lubrication film composed of Ca, Mg, and P, which reduces the coefficient of friction significantly. The NTNTs/TiN composite coating exhibits the best synergistic effect of wear and corrosion. In addition, the NTNTs-TiN coating also exhibits excellent antimicrobial and corrosion properties, which provides a new solution for the long-term safe use of implants in the human body.     

Influence of layer number and sintering temperature on microstructural,tribological, and corrosion behavior of Al2O3–TiO2 multilayer coatings

The effects of layer number (2, 4, and 6-layer) and sintering temperature (800, 900, 1000, and 1100 °C) on the microstructure, wear, and corrosion properties of Al₂O₃–TiO₂ multilayer coatings deposited on 316L stainless steel plates using the sol-gel dip coating technique were investigated. The wear characteristics were measured through ball-on-disc type dry sliding tests using an Al₂O₃ ball under a 1 N load, whereas the corrosion features were determined by potentiodynamic polarization tests conducted in a 3.5 wt% NaCl solution. Anatase, rutile, α-Al₂O₃, and γ-Al₂O₃ phases were obtained in the hybrid coatings, depending on the sintering temperatures. However, at 1100 °C, the coating did not adhere well to the substrate due to passive oxide film formation on the 316L plate, leading to spalling. Besides, the surface homogeneity deteriorated in the 6-layer coated sample due to higher organic removal and residual stresses. The corrosion rate decreased with the increasing number of layers, but the sensitivity to corrosion varied due to changes in surface properties. The 4-layer coated sample sintered at 1000 °C achieved the highest wear strength (improved by up to 71.1%) and corrosion resistance (increased by up to 90.4%) due to its decreased porosity and homogeneously distributed finer particles.