| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 827856 | Materials & Design | 2016 | 5 Pages |
•CrAlN/ZrN_9 and _5 multilayer coatings with bilayer periods of 9 to 5 nm exhibit nonepitaxial and local epitaxial interfaces.•This transformation of nonepitaxial to local epitaxial interfaces results in an increased hardness and adhesion strength.•CrAlN/ZrN_5 coating exhibits better thermal stability and thermo-mechanical properties.•CrAlN/ZrN multilayer coatings show an oxidation behavior of layer by layer, and CrAlN/ZrN_5 has better oxidation resistance.
Multilayer architecture based on CrAlN coatings to improve their properties attracts great attention. Here, the structure, mechanical and thermal properties of CrAlN/ZrN multilayer coatings with bilayer periods of ~ 5 and 9 nm are investigated. Decreasing bilayer period of CrAlN/ZrN coating from 9 to 5 nm results in a transformation of interfacial structure between CrAlN and ZrN sublayers from nonepitaxial to local epitaxial interfaces, and thereby has a positive effect on the hardness, adhesion strength, thermal stability and oxidation resistance. Additionally, a layer by layer oxidation behavior of CrAlN/ZrN coatings leads to the formation of lamellar oxide scale.
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