A Study On Optimum Composition And Optimum Plating Progress Of (Ti,Al,Zr)N Super-Hard Reactive Films

The (Ti,Al,Zr)N super-hard reactive films have been deposited on high-speed steel substrate by multi-arc ion plating technology and under condition of cathodic targets of Ti-Al-Zr alloys with different compositions. The influences of deposition processing parameters, such as bias voltage, initial temperature, N2 partial pressure, the intensity of arc current, on the microstructure and properties of the films have been investigated. The deposition parameters of the experiments have been orthogonally-designed. The proper deposition process has been deterimined. The films with glabrous appearance and smooth surface have been obtained under the conditions of the selected deposition processes.The surface morphology and the cross-fracture morphology of the films have been observed. The composition analysis of the selected samples has been carried out. The micro-hardness of the surfaces of all the deposited films has been measured by the digital Micro-hardness tester. The adhension of the hard films has been measured by nick-experimentation. The critical loads and the wear breaking currency of the films have been also measured. The wear-resistance of the films at different temperatures (high temperature, middle temperature and room temperature) has been measured by the high temperature friction abrasion test machine. Based on these results, the evaluation on wear-resistance properties of the films has been made out. The effects of the deposition process and the composition of alloy targets on the microstructure and properties of the films have been analyzed and discussed. The optimum deposition progress and the optimum composition of the cathodic target for the optimum compositive properties of the films have been determined in various evaluation parameters.The results of investigation show that the (Ti,Al,Zr)N super-hardness reaction films deposited by multi-arc ion plating technology, whose the thickness is less than 3μm. Through optimizing of deposition process, the micro-hardness of the films more than 3500HV has been obtained. The adhension of the hard films has also been inproved to more than 140N. The wear-resistance of the hard films under normal temperature and high temperature is very excellent. It gets the excellent properties as the cutting coatings. The paper shows that the (Ti,Al,Zr)N hard films deposited by Ti-Al-Zr alloy targets are vailable and advantageous. The optimum deposition process and the optimum composition of the cathodic target for the optimum properties are well used for manufacture at present.