Ti-Cu-N Hard Nanocopomsite Films Prepared By Pulse Biased Arc Ion Plating

As a major branch of ultra-dura, nanocomposite films attract much domestic andforeign researchers due to its excellent mechanical properties. They have gooddevelopment prospects and potential applications, for they have been widely used toimprove mould and tool surface’s wear-resistance and to extend their service life.Nanocomposite films technique is in front of the surface engineering, a lot of toolswhich are deposited by TiN films have been used in many fields extensively. However,in some cases, it can not meet people’s needs. Growth over time，it is found that TiNfilms which are added with Cu constituent will form a nanocomposite thin filmstructure, and film hardness will have a greater increase, so the performance andstructure of the film is greatly improved.Arc ion plating technology is an advanced surface engineering technology, for highdeposition rate and less environmental pollution, therefore it has been rapiddevelopment both at home and abroad in recent years.In this work, Ti-Cu-N hard nanocomposite films were deposited on304stainless steel(SS) substrate and high-speed-steel (HSS) substrate by pulse biased arc ion platingsystem. The effects of negative substrate pulse bias voltages and duty ratio on chemicalcomposition, structure, morphology and mechanical properties were investigated.The analysis can be concluded that TiN preferred orientation is influnced by pulsebias voltages and duty ratio in Ti-Cu-N hard nanocomposite films deposited on stainlesssteel (SS) substrate. With pulse bias voltages, Cu grain exist in Ti-Cu-N hardnanocomposite films influence growth of TiN phase.Ti-Cu-N nanocomposite films anddid not appear apparent hardness enhancement, the main reason is that Cu content ismore than2%.TiN preferred orientation is influnced by pulse bias voltages and duty ratio inTi-Cu-N hard nanocomposite films deposited on high-speed-steel (HSS) substrate.Withincreasing of pulse bias voltages and duty ratio, preferred orientation change from TiN(111) to TiN (200). Cu content in Ti-Cu-N nanocomposite films also change with them.With pulse bias voltages, Cu grain exist in Ti-Cu-N hard nanocomposite films influencegrowth of TiN phase. Hardness enhancement was observed and the maximum value is 31.5GPa under pulse bias-600V and duty ratio30%, corresponding to Cu content of1.75at.%.The hardness of nanocomposite films is mainly influenced by a negative biasand duty ratio.