Magnetron sputtering of Cr(Al)N coatings: Mechanical and tribological study

A significant increase in hardness, reaching values up to 35 GPa, has been achieved for the CrAlN coatings when compared to CrN coatings. The improvement in tribological properties has also been remarkable, with a decrease in friction coefficient against bearing steel and also a non-adhesive wear mechanism against titanium alloy balls. In addition, the CrAlN coatings exhibited higher thermal stability than pure CrN coatings.