Diamond-like carbon coatings with nanocomposite structure formed by reactive magnetron sputtering of chrome in an Ar + C2H2 + N2 gas mixture and their tribological behavior

Results of a complex study of the structure, the phase and chemical compositions, the microhardness, as well as the nanomechanical and tribological properties of a-C: H: Cr: N hydrogenated amorphous carbon coatings are presented; these coatings were formed by the reactive magnetron sputtering of chromium at various concentrations of nitrogen and acetylene in the active Ar + C₂H₂ + N₂ gas mixture. Raman spectroscopy has shown that carbon in these coatings is represented by a disordered mixture of regions with tetrahedral (sp ³) and hexagonal (sp ²) coordination of carbon atoms. The alloying metal in the coating formed nanosized inclusions of metal chrome, as well as of its carbide and nitride phases. It has been shown that the additional alloying of a-C: H: Cr coatings with nitrogen, which leads to the formation of chromium nitride, makes it possible to improve their mechanical and tribological characteristics.