Analysis and rationale for the use of coating microhardness as a controlled parameter

Abstract

The article is concerned with the possibility to use coating microhardness as a parameter of standardization. The TiN coatings were deposited by vacuum arc plasma. A series of experiments was carried out to establish the patterns for the microhardness to change, subject to specific deposition regimes. The article presents the conditions for coating microhardness to be taken as a parameter of standardization. It provides the microhardness ranges necessary to monitor the quality of coatings.