Hostname: page-component-7b7567c8c-2n9c9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-11-15T21:48:57.849Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Microstructural response of TiN monolithic and multilayer coatings during microscratch testing

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2011

Z.H. Xie,
M. Hoffman,
P. Munroe,
R. Singh,
A. Bendavid and
P.J. Martin
Z.H. Xie*
Affiliation:
School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
M. Hoffman
Affiliation:
School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
P. Munroe
Affiliation:
School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
R. Singh
Affiliation:
School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
A. Bendavid
Affiliation:
Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) Industrial Physics, Lindfield, NSW 2070, Australia
P.J. Martin
Affiliation:
Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) Industrial Physics, Lindfield, NSW 2070, Australia
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: zhxie@materials.unsw.edu.au
Get access

Abstract

Monolithic TiN and multilayered structures of TiN films that alternate with thin Ti interlayers were coated by filtered arc deposition onto a stainless steel substrate. Microscratch tests with a diamond indenter of 5-μm radius were carried out in combination with focused ion beam (FIB) sectioning and scanning and transmission electron microscopy to explore the controlling deformation mechanisms of these TiN coatings in relation to their microstructural design. It was found that for the monolithic TiN coating, columnar TiN grains slid against each other under normal forces and, at the same time, tilted under tangential forces. For the TiN multilayers, however, intercolumnar shear sliding was suppressed considerably by the multilayered structure and the interlayers, and grain tilting occurred largely within the upper TiN layer, presumably due to the shear effect of the soft Ti interlayers. With further increases in tangential force, rupture of TiN grains was observed within both types of coatings; for the TiN multilayers, rupture of TiN grains occurred predominantly within the layers close to the steel substrates. It can be concluded that the application of TiN multilayers provides better resistance to contact damage than the traditional monolithic TiN coatings did.

Keywords

CoatingFractureTransmission electron microscopy (TEM)

Information

Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 22 , Issue 8 , August 2007, pp. 2312 - 2318
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2007

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

REFERENCES

1Bhowmick, S., Xie, Z-H., Hoffman, M., Jayaram, V.Biswas, S.K.: The nature of contact deformation of TiN films on steel. J. Mater. Res. 19, 2616 2004Google Scholar
2Xie, Z-H., Hoffman, M., Moon, R.J.Munroe, P.R.: Deformation processes in a hard coating on ductile substrate system during nanoindentation: Role of coating microstructure. J. Mater. Res. 21, 437 2006Google Scholar
3Bhowmick, S., Bhide, R., Hoffman, M., Jayaram, V.Biswas, S.K.: Fracture mode transitions during indentation of columnar TiN coatings on metal. Philos. Mag. 85, 2927 2005CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4Cairney, J.M., Tsukano, R., Hoffman, M.J.Yang, M.: Degradation of TiN coatings under cyclic loading. Acta Mater. 52, 3229 2004Google Scholar
5Jayaram, V., Bhowmick, S., Xie, Z-H., Math, S., Hoffman, M.Biswas, S.K.: Contact deformation of TiN coatings on metallic substrates. Mater. Sci. Eng., A 423, 8 2006CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6Carvalho, N.J.M.De Hosson, J.T.M.: Deformation mechanisms in TiN/(Ti,Al)N multilayers under depth-sensing indentation. Acta Mater.,54, 1857 2006CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7Tilbrook, M.T., Paton, D.J., Xie, Z-H.Hoffman, M.: Microstructural effects on indentation failure mechanisms in TiN coatings: Finite element simulations. Acta Mater. 55, 2489 2007Google Scholar
8Xie, Z.H., Hoffman, M., Munroe, P., Bendavid, A.Martin, P.J.: Deformation mechanisms of TiN multilayer coatings alternated by ductile or stiff interlayers. Acta Mater., submittedGoogle Scholar
9Bull, S.J.: Can scratch testing be used as a model for the abrasive wear of hard coatings? Wear 235, 412 1999CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10Bull, S.J.: Failure mode maps in the thin film scratch adhesion test. Tribol. Int. 30, 491 1997CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11Larsson, M., Olsson, M., Hedenqvist, P.Hogmark, S.: Mechanisms of coating failure as demonstrated by scratch and indentation testing of tin coated HSS. Surf. Eng. 16, 436 2000Google Scholar
12Ma, K.J., Bloyce, A.Bell, T.: Examination of mechanical properties and failure mechanisms of TiN and Ti–TiN multilayer coatings. Surf. Coat. Technol. 76, 297 1995CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13Holmberg, K., Laukkanen, A., Ronkainen, H., Wallin, K., Varjus, S.Koskinen, J.: Tribological contact analysis of a rigid ball sliding on a hard coated surface. Part I: Modelling stresses and strains. Surf. Coat. Technol. 200, 3793 2006Google Scholar
14Leyland, A.Matthews, A.: Thick Ti/TiN multilayered coatings for abrasive and erosive wear resistance. Surf. Coat. Technol. 70, 19 1994Google Scholar
15Xie, Z-H., Hoffman, M., Moon, R.J., Munroe, P.R.Cheng, Y-B.: Sliding wear of α-sialon ceramics. Wear 260, 387 2006Google Scholar
16Bendavid, A., Martin, P.J., Preston, E., Cairney, J., Xie, Z-H.Hoffman, M.: Deposition of nanocomposite thin films by a hybrid cathodic arc and chemical vapour technique. Surf. Coat. Technol. 201, 4139 2006Google Scholar
17Bendavid, A., Martin, P.J., Cairney, J.M., Hoffman, M.Fischer-Cripps, A.C.: Deposition of nanocomposite TiN–Si3N4 thin films by hybrid cathodic arc and chemical vapor process. Appl. Phys. A 81, 151 2005Google Scholar