Microstructure and mechanical properties of TiN/TiAlN multilayer coatings deposited by arc ion plating with separate targets

TiN/TiAlN multilayer coatings were prepared by arc ion plating with separate targets. In order to decrease the unfavorable macroparticles, a straight magnetized filter was used for the low melting aluminium target. The results show that the output plasmas of titanium target without filter and aluminium target with filter reach the substrate with the same order of magnitude. Meanwhile, the number of macroparticles in TiN/TiAlN multilayer coatings deposited with separate targets is only 1/10–1/3 of that deposited with alloy target reported in literature. Al atom addition may lead to the decrease of peak at (200) lattice plane and strengthening of peak at (111) and (220) lattice planes. The measured hardness of TiN/TiAlN multilayer coatings accords with the mixture principle and the maximum hardness is HV2495. The adhesion strength reaches 75 N.