Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
5367695 | Applied Surface Science | 2011 | 5 Pages |
TiAlN films were deposited on AISI O1 tool steel using a triode magnetron sputtering system. The bias voltage effect on the composition, thickness, crystallography, microstructure, hardness and adhesion strength was investigated. The coatings thickness and elemental composition analyses were carried out using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) together with energy dispersive X-ray (EDS). The re-sputtering effect due to the high-energy ions bombardment on the film surface influenced the coatings thickness. The films crystallography was investigated using X-ray diffraction characterization. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) data show that TiAlN coatings were crystallized in the cubic NaCl B1 structure, with orientations in the {1Â 1Â 1}, {2Â 0Â 0} {2Â 2Â 0} and {3Â 1Â 1} crystallographic planes. The surface morphology (roughness and grain size) of TiAlN coatings was investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM). By increasing the substrate bias voltage from â40 to â150Â V, hardness decreased from 32Â GPa to 19Â GPa. Scratch tester was used for measuring the critical loads and for measuring the adhesion.
Research highlights⺠TiAlN coatings composition is strongly influenced by the Ar/N2 ratio in a sputtering system. ⺠An increase in the bias voltage could not produce an increase in the TiAlN film thickness. ⺠The bias voltage has strong influence on the coefficient of crystallographic texture.