(Cr_1-xAl_x)N Coating Deposition by Short-Pulse High-Power Dual Magnetron Sputtering.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Surface Engineering
• Tribology

Background:

• Advanced coatings are crucial for improving material performance in various industrial applications.
• Aluminum nitride (AlN) based coatings offer potential for enhanced hardness and wear resistance.
• Optimizing the composition of (Cr,Al)N coatings is key to achieving desired tribological properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of varying aluminum content on the properties of (Cr,Al)N coatings.
• To evaluate the hardness, wear rate, friction coefficient, and adhesion of these coatings.
• To determine the suitability of (Cr,Al)N coatings for applications requiring high durability.

Main Methods:

• Deposition of (Cr,Al)N coatings on AISI 430 stainless steel using short-pulse high-power dual magnetron sputtering.
• Analysis of coating composition, specifically the Al/Cr ratio, based on substrate position.
• Characterization of mechanical properties including hardness, wear rate, friction coefficient, and adhesion strength (Rockwell-C test).

Main Results:

• Coating hardness increased from 17 to 28 GPa with higher aluminum content (17-54%).
• Low wear rates were observed for (Cr,Al)N coatings against both metallic (100Cr6) and ceramic (Al2O3) counter bodies.
• Friction coefficients ranged from 0.4-0.7, and adhesion strength was rated HF1 and HF2, indicating good interfacial adhesion.

Conclusions:

• Higher aluminum content in (Cr,Al)N coatings significantly improves hardness.
• (Cr,Al)N coatings exhibit excellent wear resistance and good adhesion, suitable for tribological applications.
• The sputtering method allows for controlled deposition of (Cr,Al)N coatings with tunable properties.