Cracking investigation of W and W(C) films deposited by physical vapor deposition on steel substrates

This paper presents the investigation of the cracking of coatings deposited on steel substrates. The coating on substrate systems consisted on pure tungsten films (W) and films of solid solutions of carbon in tungsten W(C)], which were deposited by direct current reactive magnetron sputtering on stainless steel substrates. The systems were strained uniaxially with a microtensile device adapted to a scanning electron microscope. The mechanical response was analyzed from the experimental results: the straining of the samples showed an evolution of the density of cracks in the coating, which was described trough an empirical equation based on the Weibull distribution function. The density of cracks, which corresponds to the crack saturation of the coating, appeared to vary inversely with coating thickness. Critical parameters relative to their mechanical stability were also determined from the experimental results: the strain energy release rate for crack extension through the film, G^f_c, and the fracture toughness, K^f_Ic, of the coatings. These values are included between 0.2 and 14 J m⁻², and between 0.1 and 2.5 MPa m^−1/2. The fracture resistance of W and W(C) coatings was found to be correlated to their thickness and microstructure.