Mechanical properties and oxidation resistance of reactively sputtered Ta1 − xZrxNy thin films

Ta1 − xZrxNy coatings were fabricated using reactive direct-current magnetron cosputtering on silicon and cemented carbide substrates. The oxidation resistance of the Ta1 − xZrxNy coatings was evaluated by annealing the samples in a 15-ppm O2-N2 atmosphere at 600 °C. The variations in crystalline structure, mechanical properties, and surface roughness values after annealing were investigated. One commercial moldable glass material, a SiO2-B2O3-BaO-based glass, was used to evaluate the chemical inertness of Ta1 − xZrxNy coatings, applied as protective coatings in glass molding processes. Thermal cycling annealing at 270 and 600 °C, with the temperature strictly maintained at 600 ± 10 °C for 1 min/cycle, was conducted in a quartz tube furnace to simulate a glass molding process in a continuous flow of 15 ppm O2-N2. Up to 500 thermal cycling annealing tests were conducted for the glass and coating assemblies.