Effect of annealing temperature on microstructure, hardness and adhesion properties of TiSixNy superhard coatings

► In this study, effect of annealing temperature on film-matrices adhesive strength was focused. ► The results indicate that annealing treatment below 900 °C played a little role in microstructure, hardness and friction coefficient; however it greatly affected those of steel substrates. ► The hardness and grain size of steel substrates greatly decreased after 600 °C. ► With increase of annealing temperature the film-matrices adhesive strength was slightly increased up to 600 °C, followed by an abrupt decrease with further increasing annealing temperature. Its maximum was gotten at 600 °C.