Comprehensive Analysis of Different Coating Materials on the POM Substrate.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Surface Engineering
• Tribology

Background:

• Polyoxymethylene (POM) is a widely used engineering thermoplastic.
• Enhancing POM surface properties is crucial for demanding applications.
• Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD) offers versatile coating solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of PVD coatings on POM substrate properties.
• To analyze different coating materials (Al, Cr, CrN) and thicknesses.
• To evaluate the mechanical performance and adhesion of coated POM.

Main Methods:

• Deposition of Aluminium (Al), Chromium (Cr), and Chromium Nitride (CrN) using PVD techniques (magnetron sputtering).
• Multi-step deposition processes for Al and CrN, single-step for Cr.
• Mechanical testing including indentation for surface hardness.
• Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) for surface morphology analysis.
• Adhesion testing to assess substrate-coating bonding.

Main Results:

• Characterization of surface hardness, morphology, and adhesion for various PVD coatings on POM.
• Detailed analysis of the influence of coating material and thickness on POM surface properties.
• Successful application of multi-step PVD processes for enhanced coating performance.

Conclusions:

• PVD coatings significantly alter POM surface characteristics.
• The choice of coating material and deposition method impacts mechanical properties and adhesion.
• This research provides valuable data for selecting PVD coatings to improve POM performance.