Structural and mechanical properties of Cr–Zr–N coatings with different Zr content

ABSTRACT

Cr–Zr–N films have been synthesised using R.F reactive magnetron sputtering system on Si (100) wafer and XC100 steel substrate without heating. The structural, mechanical and friction coefficient evolution as a function of the Zr content were investigated by XRD, (EDS, WDS), WPS, XPS, SEM, AFM, nanoindentation, Scratch adhesion and pin-on-disc sliding wear tests. The results show, that, with increasing Zr content, the film structure changed with the coexistence of (Cr–N, Zr–N) crystallographic orientation mixture. The films formed a (Cr, Zr) N solid solution where Zr atoms substitute Cr atoms. CrN lattice parameter increased from 4.17 to 4.32 Å with the crystallite size refinement. The mechanical parameters (H, σ, E, H/E and H³/E²) were significantly improved in comparison to binary films, especially at 29 at.-% Zr. The friction and wear behaviour of the Cr–Zr (29 at.-% Zr)–N coating also showed a significant improvement.

KEYWORDS:

• CrN
• ZrN
• Cr–Zr–N
• wear
• friction
• nanoindentation

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Mr Gildas Guillemot for the mechanical and tribological measurements carried out at Arts et Metiers ParisTech of Lille and Mr IMHOFF for the SEM and EDS analysis of the test samples at ICB in Dijon. The authors are also grateful to the whole group of LaBoMaP at Arts et Metiers ParisTech of Cluny for their help in the deposition of coatings, the EDS or XRD analyses and residual stresses measurements.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Corinne Nouveau http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5552-2020