Tribological Characteristics of Multilayer TiN/TiCN Coatings Compared to TiN Coatings
摘要
Multilayer coatings based on titanium carbonitride compounds exhibit high wear resistance and a low coefficient of friction, and the study of their properties is currently an active area of research. In this study, TiN and TiN/TiCN coatings were deposited on steel substrates at room temperature via direct current magnetron sputtering, with a thickness of approximately 4 µm. The surface morphology, thickness, and elemental and phase composition of the coatings were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and x-ray diffraction. Tribological properties were evaluated through a “ball-on-disk” wear test, with friction coefficient and wear rate measurements. Nanoindentation methods were used to determine the nanohardness and Young's modulus. Wear resistance tests were conducted in ambient atmosphere under a constant load of 2 N, with a counterbody of 100Cr6 steel ball. The wear test results demonstrated that the multilayer coating consisting of two layers of TiN and TiCN exhibited a significantly lower coefficient of friction (0.24) and wear rate (down to 8.16 × 10-7 mm3/(m·N)), which is attributed to the improved load distribution and reduced adhesive friction due to the presence of the TiCN layer. This study highlights the potential of TiN/TiCN multilayer coatings for advanced tribological systems, offering superior performance compared to conventional monolayer TiN coatings.