Microstructural characterisation of nanocomposite nc-MeC/a-C coatings on oxygen hardened Ti-6Al-4V alloy

Nanocomposite coatings are novel, important systems composed of two or more nanocrystalline, or nanocrystalline and amorphous, phases. Such coatings offer a possibility of tailoring the coating microstructure and achieving new improved properties of coated materials. In this work a duplex surface treatment, consisting of an oxygen diffusion treatment and deposition of low friction nanocomposite nc-MeC/a-C (Me = transition metal, Ti, W or Cr) coatings, was applied for improvement of the Ti-6Al-4V alloy properties. The coatings composed of nanocrystallites of transition metal carbides (TiC or Cr_xC_y or WC) embedded in hydrogen-free amorphous carbon (a-C) matrix were deposited onto the surface of an oxygen hardened Ti-6Al-4 V alloy substrate by means of a simple DC magnetron sputtering. A nano/microstructure of the substrate material and coatings has been examined by scanning- and transmission electron microscopy complemented with the results of X-ray diffraction analyses.It was found that the nanocomposite coatings are composed of different carbide nanocrystals (with sizes of a few nanometres) embedded in an amorphous carbon matrix. The results of qualitative and quantitative analyses of the nanocrystalline phase in the coatings with use of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy combined with image analysis are given in the paper.An effect of the nano/microstructure parameters of the coated alloy onto its micro-mechanical (nanohardness and Young's modulus) and tribological properties (wear resistance and friction coefficient) is discussed in the paper.