Influence of yttrium addition on microstructure and mechanical properties of ZrN coatings

►Study on the microstructure and mechanical properties of ZrYN coatings. ►Correlation of XRD, Raman spectroscopy and SAED analysis. ►TEM and XRD analysis for grain size. ►Explanations for evolution of preferred orientation and grain size. ►Moderate yttrium addition improves the hardness and adhesion of ZrYN coatings.