Microstructural and micro-mechanical investigation of cathodic arc evaporated ZrN/TiN multilayer coatings with varying bilayer thickness
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in: Surface & coatings technology, Jahrgang 432.2022, Nr. 25 February, 128070, 25.02.2022.
Publikationen: Beitrag in Fachzeitschrift › Artikel › Forschung › (peer-reviewed)
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T1 - Microstructural and micro-mechanical investigation of cathodic arc evaporated ZrN/TiN multilayer coatings with varying bilayer thickness
AU - Frank, Florian
AU - Kainz, Christina
AU - Tkadletz, Michael
AU - Czettl, Christoph
AU - Pohler, Markus
AU - Schalk, Nina
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Authors
PY - 2022/2/25
Y1 - 2022/2/25
N2 - Modifying the architecture of multilayer hard coatings allows to adjust the mechanical properties of these materials for a given application. Within this work, the effect of the bilayer thickness (Λ) and the individual sublayer thickness ratio on the microstructure and mechanical properties of ZrN/TiN multilayer coatings was investigated. Multilayer coatings with Λ of 570, 320 and 35 nm were deposited by cathodic arc evaporation and compared to TiN and ZrN single-layer coatings. The microstructure was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy. All coatings exhibit a single phase face-centred cubic structure and a predominant (111) texture. A columnar structure was observed for all coatings and grain growth extending beyond the ZrN/TiN interfaces was evident in all multilayers. For all coatings, compressive residual stresses were determined by XRD using the sin 2ψ method, where the multilayer sample with the largest Λ exhibited the highest compressive residual stress of −1.7 ± 0.2 GPa. Lower compressive residual stresses could be correlated with decreasing Λ and decreasing ZrN:TiN thickness ratio. Nanoindentation experiments as well as micro-mechanical bending tests were conducted to assess the mechanical properties of the coatings. The ZrN/TiN multilayer sample with Λ of 35 nm showed the highest hardness of 28.0 ± 1.1 GPa. This value is similar to the TiN single-layer and higher compared to the ZrN single-layer, which exhibited a hardness of 27.9 ± 1.4 GPa and 25.8 ± 1.3 GPa, respectively. While the ZrN single-layer showed the highest fracture toughness, the ZrN/TiN multilayer samples were identified as the mechanically stiffest and strongest of the investigated coatings, since they exhibited a higher fracture stress compared to the single-layer coatings. The obtained results allow to optimise the architecture of ZrN/TiN multilayer coatings yielding the desired coating properties for application in the cutting industry.
AB - Modifying the architecture of multilayer hard coatings allows to adjust the mechanical properties of these materials for a given application. Within this work, the effect of the bilayer thickness (Λ) and the individual sublayer thickness ratio on the microstructure and mechanical properties of ZrN/TiN multilayer coatings was investigated. Multilayer coatings with Λ of 570, 320 and 35 nm were deposited by cathodic arc evaporation and compared to TiN and ZrN single-layer coatings. The microstructure was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy. All coatings exhibit a single phase face-centred cubic structure and a predominant (111) texture. A columnar structure was observed for all coatings and grain growth extending beyond the ZrN/TiN interfaces was evident in all multilayers. For all coatings, compressive residual stresses were determined by XRD using the sin 2ψ method, where the multilayer sample with the largest Λ exhibited the highest compressive residual stress of −1.7 ± 0.2 GPa. Lower compressive residual stresses could be correlated with decreasing Λ and decreasing ZrN:TiN thickness ratio. Nanoindentation experiments as well as micro-mechanical bending tests were conducted to assess the mechanical properties of the coatings. The ZrN/TiN multilayer sample with Λ of 35 nm showed the highest hardness of 28.0 ± 1.1 GPa. This value is similar to the TiN single-layer and higher compared to the ZrN single-layer, which exhibited a hardness of 27.9 ± 1.4 GPa and 25.8 ± 1.3 GPa, respectively. While the ZrN single-layer showed the highest fracture toughness, the ZrN/TiN multilayer samples were identified as the mechanically stiffest and strongest of the investigated coatings, since they exhibited a higher fracture stress compared to the single-layer coatings. The obtained results allow to optimise the architecture of ZrN/TiN multilayer coatings yielding the desired coating properties for application in the cutting industry.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85122645881&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2021.128070
DO - 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2021.128070
M3 - Article
VL - 432.2022
JO - Surface & coatings technology
JF - Surface & coatings technology
SN - 0257-8972
IS - 25 February
M1 - 128070
ER -