1. Correlating elemental distribution with mechanical properties of TiN/SiNx nanocomposite coatings.
- Author
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Sperr, M., Zhang, Z.L., Ivanov, Y.P., Mayrhofer, P.H., and Bartosik, M.
- Subjects
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PARTIAL pressure , *FRACTURE toughness , *TIN , *ANALYTICAL chemistry , *SURFACE coatings , *SILICON nitride - Abstract
Detailed structural and chemical analyses reveal that Ti-Si-N coatings prepared with high nitrogen partial pressure and temperature are composed of nm-sized (nearly equiaxed) TiN crystallites encapsulated by ~1.0 nm thin Si-rich tissue phase. This nanocomposite structure allows for superior hardness (37.6 ± 1.5 GPa) and fracture toughness (4.5 ± 0.6 MPa√m). Contrary, deposition at lower nitrogen partial pressure and temperature does not allow for such a clear Si segregation during film growth, leading to nm-sized solid solution Ti 1-x Si x N crystallites. Although having the same Si content of 8.5 at.%, their hardness (32.1 ± 0.9 GPa) as well as fracture toughness (3.0 ± 0.2 MPa√m) is significantly lower. Unlabelled Image [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
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