1. Improving mechanical properties of a-CN x films by Ti–TiN/CN x gradient multilayer
- Author
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Liu, D.G., Tu, J.P., Hong, C.F., Gu, C.D., Mai, Y.J., and Chen, R.
- Subjects
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MECHANICAL properties of thin films , *CARBON compounds , *MICROSTRUCTURE , *MULTILAYERED thin films , *TITANIUM compounds , *FRICTION , *MECHANICAL wear , *HARDNESS - Abstract
Abstract: Amorphous carbon nitride (a-CN x ) films with functional gradient Ti–TiN/CN x underlayer were deposited by direct current magnetron sputtering. Microstructure and composition of the films were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscope (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Mechanical and tribological properties were investigated by nanoindenter, scratch and ball-on-disk tribometer. The a-CN x -based films suffer a graphitization process with the increasing deposition temperature, thus the hardness and elastic modulus decrease. With the design of the Ti–TiN/CN x gradient underlayers, some important advantages of relatively thick CN x films can be achieved, such as increased hardness, improved adhesion strength, and the wear resistance of the a-CN x -based films can be also improved significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2010
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