Tribological properties of CrZr-Si-N films synthesized using Cr-Zr-Si segment targets

In this work, CrZr-Si-N films with various Si contents were synthesized by unbalanced magnetron sputtering with various (Cr + Zr):Si segment targets. Three types of segment targets with different volume ratios of Cr + Zr and Si (11:1, 5:1 and 3:1 vol.%) were employed. Tribological properties of CrZr-Si-N films, as a function of the Si content, were investigated by a ball-on-disk type wear tester at room temperature and 500 °C. After the wear test, the wear tracks were investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. The results showed that the CrZr-Si-N films with low Si content showed excellent tribological properties at the room temperature such as low friction coefficient and smooth, narrow wear track diameter. However, at 500 °C the tribological properties of CrZr-Si-N films were significantly improved with increasing Si content in the films as the thermal stabilities of CrZr-Si-N films were improved with increasing Si content.