The Surface Assessment and the Properties of Selected Multilayer Coatings

Abstract

The paper presents an evaluation of the surface quality and properties of multilayer coatings, obtained using cathodic arc evaporation, of the same structure, in which the top layer is a CrN chromium nitride layer. The second components of a double-layer module with a thickness of 400 nm and a thickness of each layer about 200 nm are two component TiN, Mo2N systems and three component TiAlN and CrCN systems. In studies using scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy, the surface density of the macroparticles of the coating and their dimensions were estimated. The largest amount of macroparticles was recorded on the surface of the TiAlN/CrN coatings and the lowest on CrCN/CrN and Mo2N/CrN coatings. Their adhesion to steel substrates using a scratch test and Rockwell test and wear were also investigated. The results indicated that the melting point of the cathode material directly affected the number and size of the macroparticles on the surface of the growing coating. The number of macroparticles increased with the lowering of the melting point of the cathode material. All the coatings showed good adhesion with the critical load Lc2, greater than 60 N with a hardness above 20 GPa. The Mo2N/CrN coating, despite its relatively low critical load compared to the other tested coatings, had the best wear-resistant properties, which was probably due to the Mo2N → MoO3 transformation.

Composite Materials with Nanoscale Multilayer Architecture Based on Cathodic-Arc Evaporated WN/NbN Coatings

“…This is due to high contact stress and wear loss caused by the softening of the contact interfaces at the beginning of the dry sliding. Macroparticles at the surface of cathodic-arc evaporated coatings are droplets of target materials in the form of soft pure metals or hardened particles, which are created due to even a low efficiency of chemical reaction with nitrogen . Such surface asperities during sliding act as abrasive particles that plow the coating surface and increase its wear.…”

“…Macroparticles at the surface of cathodic-arc evaporated coatings are droplets of target materials in the form of soft pure metals or hardened particles, which are created due to even a low efficiency of chemical reaction with nitrogen. 82 Such surface asperities during sliding act as abrasive particles that plow the coating surface and increase its wear. The surface roughness of three multilayers had similar values in the 37–41 nm range and was not a crucial factor responsible for different tribological test results.…”

INFLUENCE OF THE METAL UNDERLAYER ON THE CAVITATION RESISTANCE OF NITRIDED STEEL WITH Mo2N COATING

“…The deposition of hard nitride layers, e.g. Mo 2 N, makes it possible to obtain an outer wear-resistant layer [7].…”