Study On Properties Of Crnitialn Thin Films On H13Steel By Unbalanced Magnetron Sputtering

In this present work, CrNiTiAIN thin coatings are deposited on the H13steel by closed-filed unbalanced magnetron sputtering ion plating coater. The morphology, composition and micro structure were characterized and analyzed by using SEM, EDS, XRD; the basic mechanical properties such as thickness, hardness, toughness and adhesion strength of the coatings were tested. Friction and wear behavior were evaluated by HT-500friction and wear spectrometer. Effect of different Ni target current and different hardness of matrix on microstructure, composition and performance of CrNiTiAIN coatings were analysised. The results indicate:(1) The effects of Ni target current on the morphology, composition and microstructure of the CrNiTiAIN coatings are obvious, with the increasing of the Ni target current (0-5A) the grain size of the coatings decreases and the Ni-rich areas appear between the CrN lattices; the Cr and N content decrease from43.12to31.29at%and47.03to33.06at%, as the Ni content increases from0to26.57at%; the main phase in CrNiTiAIN coating is CrN, and its preferred growth orientation changes from (111) to (200).(2) The effect of Ni target current on the thickness of the coatings is slight and the range is from3.3to3.6um; the surface hardness, toughness and adhesion strength of the coatings firstly increase and then decrease as the Ni target current increasing from0to5A; the surface hardness of the coatings increase slightly as the Icr increasing from0to3A, and then it has a sudden drop(2585-1980HV); the coatings made with higher Icr (3A,5A) have much better toughness than the others; the coatings have the best performance (H=2585HV, Lc=61N) when the Ni target current is3A. Harder substrate can provide stronger support to the coatings, so the performance (hardness, toughness and adhesion strength) of the higher matrix hardness coatings is much better than the lower matrix hardness.(3) As the Ni target current increaseing from0to5A:the friction and wear properties of the coatings firstly get better, and then get worse; the main wear mechanism undergoes from adhesive wear to abrasive wear; the coating (INi=3A) has the best tribological property.