Textured CrN thin coatings enhancing heat transfer in nucleate boiling processes

► CrN coatings are deposited by combined DCMS and HiPIMS technology. ► Bias and booster voltage variation lead to different surface structures. ► Different critical heat flux is presumed with changes in surface microstructure. ► High increase in heat flux density at slight increase of wall superheat is reached. ► CHF increases by a factor of 1.8 according to CrN microstructures.