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The investigation examined the characteristics and utilization of TiCN coatings on high-speed steel substrates. These coatings were produced via unfiltered cathodic arc physical vapor deposition, commencing with a TiN layer and culminating in a TiCN layer with diverse carbon concentrations. The study found that the coatings exhibited a consistent composition of TiC0.7N0.3 and a fine-grained microstructure with an average thickness of approximately 3.4 µm. Nanoindentation tests revealed a high average hardness of 30.74 GPa and Young’s modulus of 349.95 GPa. The coatings’ friction and wear behavior showed temperature dependence, with increased oxidation and phase transformation at elevated temperatures, while consistent performance was observed at room temperature. The TiCN coatings demonstrated excellent mechanical properties and temperature-dependent wear resistance, indicating their suitability for industrial applications requiring high hardness and thermal stability. This study provides valuable insights for optimizing deposition parameters to enhance the coating’s performance in challenging environments. Scratch tests confirmed the coatings’ strong adhesion, with cohesion failing at 49.1 N and adhesion failing at 70.2 N.

The Tactical Information Communication Network(TICN) is a crucial element in determining the success of military operations. Particularly, the construction of an efficient network through the shortest possible connections is essential for rapid and stable communication. This paper presents a mathematical model for the optimal deployment of Node Communication Stations within TICN, applying Mixed Integer Programming(MIP) with Minimum Spanning Tree (MST) and Steiner Tree algorithms. The model aims to configure Communication Stations into a single network for effective data distribution. Simulation results indicate that the model can minimize connection distances and the number of Node Communication Stations required, thereby forming a single cohesive network of Unit Communication Stations. This approach is expected to support decision-making for efficient communication network construction, especially under limited resources and time constraints during military operations. The proposed mathematical model plays a crucial role in enhancing the stability and maximizing the efficiency of communication networks in military operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we describe the mechanical characteristics of Al2O3 and TiCN thin films formed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and a TiAlN thin film formed by physical vapor deposition (PVD), which are used as hard coating films. A focused ion beam (FIB) was used to fabricate a microcantilever beam for strength tests and fracture toughness tests under bending. A nanoindentation system was used to apply normal force to cantilever beams. All the films showed a linear force–deflection relationship, indicating brittle fracture during elastic deformation. The Young’s modulus ranged from 340 to 379 GPa, with no significant difference among the films, whereas the fracture strength of the Al2O3 films was 5.5 GPa, which was almost twice those of the other two films. For the fracture toughness test, a precrack with various depths was made using FIB at 2 μm from the fixed end of the cantilever beam. The Al2O3 film toughness values ranged from 4.1 to 5.5 MPa√m, which were almost twice that of the TiCN film at each precrack depth. Both CVD films showed a similar trend, i.e., an increase in fracture toughness with decreasing precrack depth, However, the fracture toughness of the TiAlN film showed no precrack depth dependence. The difference in fracture toughness between the CVD and PVD films is discussed on the basis of fracture surface observation results and information on the crystal grain size and orientation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to characterise TiCN coatings deposited on Ti6Al4V by physical vapour deposition. Findings on surface morphology, geometric structure, adhesion, instrumental hardness, and tribology are presented. Microscopic examination revealed a uniform coating with a thickness of about 1.5 µm and roughness (Sq) equal to 0.13 µm. Mechanical tests showed that the coating deposition increased the hardness of the Ti6Al4V alloy by about 75%. The artificial saliva solution used in the tribological tests reduced the coefficient of friction and the volumetric wear of the tested friction pairs. Microscopic observations of wear tracks after tribological tests allowed for the identification of wear mechanisms: micro-cutting/ploughing wear dominated in both the Ti6Al4V alloy and TiCN coating samples, but wear was much less pronounced overall with the TiCN coating. The study results demonstrate that the deposition of a TiCN coating simultaneously imparts low-friction and anti-wear properties to the surface of titanium alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the impact of a multilayered gradient coating, applied via plasma-activated chemical vapor deposition (PACVD), on the structural and mechanical attributes of nanostructured WC-Co cemented carbides. WC-Co samples containing 5 and 15 wt.% Co were synthesized through a hot isostatic pressing (HIP) process using nanoparticle powders and coated with two distinct multilayer coatings: titanium nitride (TiN) and titanium carbonitride (TiCN). Nanosized grain formation without microstructural defects of the substrates, prior to coating, was confirmed by magnetic saturation and coercivity testing, microstructural analysis, and field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM). Nanoindentation, fracture toughness and hardness testing were conducted for uncoated samples. After coatings deposition, characterizations including microscopy, surface roughness determination, adhesion testing, coating thickness measurement, and microhardness examination were conducted. The impact of deposited coatings on wear resistance of produced hardmetals was analyzed via scratch test and dry sliding wear test. Samples with higher Co content exhibited improved adhesion, facilitating surface cleaning and activation before coating. TiN and TiCN coatings demonstrated similar roughness on substrates of identical composition, suggesting Co content's minimal influence on layer growth. Results of the mechanical tests showed higher microhardness, higher elastic modulus, better adhesion, and overall superior tribological properties of the TiCN coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The feasibility of densifying TiCN at a much lower temperature than currently by using transient liquid-phase assisted spark plasma sintering (SPS) with Si aids is demonstrated. Firstly, it is shown that TiCN can be fully densified by SPS at 1400 °C with only 5 vol% Si aids, a temperature at which TiCN hardly densifies at all, resulting in novel superhard (∼21.5 GPa) ceramic composites having fine-grained (<1 µm) multi-particulate microstructures with TiCN as the main phase and SiC, TiSi 2 , and TiN as secondary phases. It is found that all this is because Si is a reactive sintering aid (2TiC 0.5 N 0.5 +3Si→SiC+TiSi 2 +TiN) and because during SPS two eutectic melts are formed, first a Si-rich one at ∼1275 °C and then a TiSi 2 -rich one at ∼1375 °C. Secondly, it is shown that TiCN can also be fully densified by SPS at only 1275 °C with 5 vol% Si aids, giving the same superhard ceramic composites as at 1400 °C, but requiring much longer holding because only the Si-rich eutectic melt is formed. And thirdly, it is shown that the densification of TiCN+Si is more favoured with increasing vol% Si aids, which is important for its pressureless sintering, and also that these superhard multi-particulate TiCN-based composites are slightly less hard but slightly tougher and lighter the more SiC, TiSi 2 , and TiN secondary phases are formed in situ during SPS by the reaction between TiCN and Si. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Albeit nanozymes‐based tumor catalytic therapy (NCT) relies on endogenous chemical reactions that could achieve tumor microenvironment (TME)‐specialized reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, the unsatisfactory catalytic activity of nanozymes accompanied by complex TME poses a barrier to the therapeutic effect of NCT. Herein, a one‐step in situ synthesis strategy is reported to construct ternary Ru/TiO2−x@TiCN heterojunctions through oxidative conversion of TiCN nanosheets (NSs) to TiO2−x NSs and reductive deposition of Ru3+ to Ru nanoparticles. The narrow bandgap and existence of heterojunctions enhance the ultrasound‐activated ROS generation of Ru/TiO2−x@TiCN because of the accelerated electron transfer and inhibits electron–hole pair recombination. The augmented ROS production efficiency is achieved by Ru/TiO2−x@TiCN with triple enzyme‐like activities, which amplifies the ROS levels in a cascade manner through the catalytic decomposition of endogenous H2O2 to relieve hypoxia and heterojunction‐mediated NCT, as well as depletion of overexpressed glutathione. The satisfactory therapeutic effects of Ru/TiO2−x@TiCN heterojunctions are achieved through synergetic sonodynamic therapy and NCT, which achieve the complete elimination of tumors without recurrence. This strategy highlights the potential of in situ synthesis of semiconductor heterojunctions as enhanced sonosensitizers and nanozymes for efficient tumor therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ASP30 powder metallurgy (PM) high speed steels strengthened by TiCN were fabricated by powder metallurgy process, the effects of TiCN and rotary awaging deformation on the mechanical properties, microstructure, and tribological behaviors of the ASP30 steels were investigated. The results show that, adding TiCN with the mass fraction of 5% can effectively improve the wear resistance of ASP30. After the quenching-tempering treatment, the bending strength of ASP30+5%TiCN with the 56% swaging deformation is 4084.99 N·mm‒2, and the impact toughness is 14.55 J·cm‒2. The strength and toughness of the ASP30 steels after swaging are effectively improved. After the repeated radial swaging deformation, the TiCN phases are obviously broken and distribute as the dispersion particles. Besides, the rotary swaging can promote the formation of TiCN core-rim structure and improve the wettability and bonding ability between the hard phase and the matrix, inhibiting the generation of cracks between the hard phase and the matrix during grinding.

A novel chemical vapor deposition (CVD) multilayer coating intended for cutting applications was designed to achieve high wear and heat resistance during metal machining. The coating consists of three layers: a TiCN layer deposited on top of a TiAlN layer, which was grown on a layer of TiN that was deposited onto a cemented carbide substrate. The detailed microstructure of the coating was examined using a combination of electron microscope techniques. Two pyramidal surface morphologies and textures were observed, which could be related to the substrate roughness. Two growth modes were found: epitaxial growth of 〈211〉 oriented TiCN on <211> oriented TiAlN on <211> oriented TiN, leading to tilted TiCN pyramids at the coating surface; and epitaxial growth of 〈111〉 TiCN on <111> TiAlN on <111> TiN, leading to symmetrical TiCN pyramids at the coating surface. • Epitaxial cube-on-cube <111> growth of TiCN on TiAlN on TiN. • TiCN texture, (111) or (211), is controlled by the TiN texture. • Two TiN textures observed, (111) and (211), controlled by the substrate roughness. • Lattice mismatch between TiCN and TiAlN accommodated by interfacial and threading dislocations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additive Manufacturing is experiencing an upswing in many sectors of industry for a broad variety of materials. Processes are mainly developed for polymers and metals. For ceramics, hardmetals and especially cermets there are only a few additive processes suitable. The powder-based technique Binder-Jetting is one of these suitable processes with high productivity and relatively low green density. Within this study, TiCN-based cermets are printed by Binder-Jetting for the first time. The complexity of influences of the morphology and composition of cermet powders are discussed in regard to bulk density and material properties of printed and sintered parts. Studied TiCN-based cermet compositions represent different Ni and Mo2C contents. Main points of this investigation are further the adjustment of ratio of the raw materials for good sintering behaviour and their influence on the microstructures and as a function of varied sintering temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a high-performance cermet, TiCN possesses extensive potential for application in various fields, including coating materials, ceramic products, and electronic materials. Here, the effects of temperature and pressure on the physical properties of the TiCN cermet have been investigated by high-pressure techniques and first-principles calculations. Experimentally, the phase, microstructure, mechanical properties, and electrical conductivity of bulk TiCN ceramics were analyzed. In high-pressure sintering, the sintering temperature rhythmically regulated the porosity and grain size within the ceramics. The TiCN prepared at 5.5 GPa/1200 °C has a Vickers hardness of ∼23.81 GPa, a Young's modulus of 445.24 GPa, and an electrical conductivity of ∼(20.4 ± 0.55) × 10 5 S/m. Moreover, the responses of the mechanical and electronic properties of TiCN to pressure were evaluated by first-principles, which matched the experimental results. The research findings have revealed that the pressure effects work not only on the microstructure and mechanical properties but also on the atoms and electrons. The study integrates both theoretical and experimental approaches to enhance our comprehension of the microstructure and physical properties of TiCN ceramics, insights that are instrumental in broadening the application scope of TiCN-based ceramic materials.

TiCN coatings are applied to tool steels surfaces to increase tool life because of attractive properties such as high hardness and toughness. The addition of different alloy elements to the structure of TiCN leads to significant improvements in their mechanical and tribological properties. In this study, to increase the life of AISI H13 tool steel, TiCN and Ta-doped TiCN coatings were deposited by Closed Field Unbalanced Magnetron Sputtering system and the effects of Ta on the structural, mechanical and tribological properties of TiCN coatings were investigated. The effect of the Ta target current has been studied by varying its value from 0 to 3 and to 6A. Structural properties were determined by SEM, XRD and XPS. Mechanical properties were obtained by nanoindentation and adhesion tests. A pin-on-disk tribotest device was used to determine the tribological properties (friction coefficient and wear rate). With the addition of Ta to TiCN, an increase in the thickness of the coatings and a decrease in grain size were observed. The amount of C-C (sp3) increased in TiCN coatings with increasing Ta target current. Increased sp3 amount increased the hardness of the coatings. The results show that the increasing amount of Ta improves the mechanical and tribological properties of TiCN coatings. In addition, TiCN and Ta-TiCN coatings significantly improved the mechanical and tribological properties of substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rare earth element Ce has a positive purifying effect on Fe and Si impurities in pure aluminum. In this study, we unveiled the mechanism of Ce purification of Fe and Si impurities in commercial pure aluminum at the atomic scale via utilizing the properties of TiCN nanoparticles, which exhibit distribution along grain boundaries and impede solute atom diffusion at specific cooling rates. The transition phase L1 2 -Al 3 Ce was characterized in aluminum, which is considered to be an important transition phase to purified products. Furthermore, High Angle Dark Field Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (HADDF-STEM) and 3D Atom Probe Tomography (3D-APT) results showed that Ce could respectively enrich the Fe and Si impurities, resulting in the formation of Al-Ce-Fe and Al-Ce-Si clusters. Density functional theory (DFT) results indicated that Fe and Si atoms can incorporate into L1 2 -Al 3 Ce crystal, forming more stable structures and therefore giving rise to the formation of Al-Ce-Si and Al-Ce-Fe nanoclusters. This study provides atomic-scale insights into the mechanism of Ce purifying Fe and Si impurities in aluminum. [Display omitted] • The underlying mechanism of Ce's purification ability was unveiled at the atomic scale for the first time. • The transition phase L1 2 -Al 3 Ce was characterized in aluminum, which is considered to be an important transition phase. • HADDF-STEM and 3D-APT results showed that Ce could respectively enrich the Fe and Si impurities to form clusters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of titanium carbon nitride (TiCN) has significantly increased in recent years because of its unique properties, such as high abrasion resistance and a low friction coefficient. Efforts have been made to find an economical method to modify the morphology through grain growth control during synthesis. In this study, processes including mechanical alloying, carbothermal reduction–nitridation and combustion synthesis are reviewed, and their advantages and disadvantages are compared. This study also highlights the major drawbacks in the synthesis of nano-TiCN and introduces possible suggestions to overcome the problems in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This work evaluated the influence of titanium carbo-nitride (TiCN), chromium aluminum nitride (CrAlN), and boron carbo-nitride (BCN) coatings deposited on AISI 1045 steel and their behavior in fatigue life. Suitable deposition parameters were established to obtain appropriate deposition times for polycrystalline growth and desired stoichiometry, as well as a stable layer thickness of ~ 3 μm. The physical and chemical properties of the obtained coatings were established by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and nanoindentation. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used for analyzing the fracture surfaces of the samples subjected to fatigue. The analysis of the fatigue behavior of the uncoated and coated substrates was performed under rotary bending conditions applying maximum alternating stresses in the interval of 55 to 70% of the ultimate strength value, i.e., from 479 to 610 MPa, respectively. The test was conducted at room temperature. It was established that the fatigue resistance properties increased for the three types of coated samples, TiCN, BCN, and CrAlN, with values of 9.6%, 4.2%, and 3.9%, respectively, calculated for 1 × 106 cycles. The highest value in fatigue life improvement corresponded to the TiCN coating. This is associated with the increase in the mechanical properties of the coating, as well as the lower presence of tensile type stresses. The mechanical and fatigue results found in these ternary coatings deposited on AISI 1045 steel open up the possibility of future applications in mechanical devices, e.g., automotive applications with high fatigue demands in service conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, different plasma nitriding and coating thickness combinations were tested to improve surface proprieties of a cold work tool steel. A DIN X100CrMoV8-1-1 cold work tool steel was plasma nitrided, using a 5 vol-%. N2 + 95 vol-% H2 gas mixture, for 2.5- and 5.0-h nitriding times. Then, the non-nitrided and nitrided substrates were coated with titanium carbonitride (TiCN)-graded thin films produced by cathodic arc plasma-assisted physical vapor deposition. Different deposition parameters were used to produce coatings with thicknesses of 1.0 and 2.0 µm. The samples were characterized regarding the microstructure, surface hardness, coating adhesion, and friction coefficient, which were measured by ball-on-disc tests. In the plasma nitriding process, it was possible to generate a diffusion layer, without the formation of a compound layer, with depths of 58 µm and 68 µm for 2.5 and 5.0 h, respectively. Both plasma nitriding treatments avoided delamination of the TiCN coating when deposited on the cold work tool steel. The TiCN coatings significantly decreased the friction coefficient, regardless of substrate condition. The lowest friction values were found for the thinner coating. The deeper diffusion zone led to higher hardness value, and highest scratch crack propagation resistance of the coatings, meaning superior coating adhesion. The best surface properties were found when combining the deeper plasma nitriding diffusion layer with the thinner PVD coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural and electrochemical properties of the AISI 1045 steel coated with the following coatings, deposited using physical vapor deposition (PVD), were determined: titanium carbo-nitride (TiCN), chromium aluminum nitride (CrAlN) and boron carbo-nitride (BCN). A comparison of the x-ray diffraction results with the XPS results revealed that Ti-C-N, B-C-N and Cr-Al-N were the dominant constituents. The selected deposition conditions such as the nitrogen and carbon contents and activation energy were sufficient to form the coatings. The EIS results showed that CrAlN had the lowest porosity content, followed by TiCN and BCN. These data are linked to the polarization resistance of TiCN, CrAlN and BCN: Rp = 126.42x1010 ± 8.939x1011 KΩ cm2, Rp = 40.49x1010 ± 2.863x1011 KΩ cm2 and Rp = 23.10x1010 ± 1.633x1011 KΩ cm2, respectively; as well as the corrosion rate: 0.0049 ± 0.019 mm for CrAlN, 0.0123 ± 0.014 mm for TiCN and 0.0174 ± 0.010 mm for BCN. The AISI 1045 steel with the CrAlN coating had a higher corrosion resistance compared to the other coatings because Cr increased the electronegativity of CrAlN. These results indicate that the structural and electrochemical properties of the materials, the latter carried out in lubricated environments with simulated real service conditions, depend largely on the nature of the coating. Furthermore, these analyzed coatings can be used on components subjected to stresses with high wear in lubricated environments, specifically in the automotive and metalworking industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this present research, the machinability studies of TiAlN/TiCN, TiCN/TiAlN coated and uncoated inserts were investigated on machining custom 450 alloy. The machining input parameters such as feed rate (f), cutting speed (V) and depth of cut (d) are set using orthogonal array. The machining output parameters such as surface roughness, tool wear and cutting forces were studied for its parametric contribution and it was analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Further, the tool wear obtained was studied using scanning electron microscopic images and energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis was conducted to check the addition of work material elements to the coated tool surface. The results show that, the feed rate is the most contributing factor in deciding resultant forces, surface roughness and tool wear respectively. TiAlN/TiCN coated carbide tool has obtained improved machinability, when compared to TiCN/TiAlN coated carbide and uncoated carbide inserts. To obtain one optimal level for all three responses of three types of tools, multi criteria decision making approach, named utility concept approach is selected. Based on the MCDM analysis, it is found that trial number 4 gives better experimental output of improved surface integrity, lower resultant force and less tool wear for all types of tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-spindle drilling simultaneously produces multiple holes to save time and increase productivity. The assessment of hole quality is important in any drilling process and is influenced by characteristics of the cutting tool, drilling parameters and machine capacity. This study investigates the drilling performance of uncoated carbide, and coated carbide (TiN and TiCN) drills when machining Al2024 aluminium alloy. Thrust force and characteristics of hole quality, such as the presence of burrs and surface roughness, were evaluated. The results show that the uncoated carbide drills performed better than the TiN and TiCN coated tools at low spindle speeds, while TiCN coated drills produced better hole quality at higher spindle speeds. The TiN coated drills gave the highest thrust force and poorest hole quality when compared with the uncoated carbide and TiCN coated carbide drills. Additionally, a multi-layer perceptron neural network model was developed, which could be useful for industries and manufacturing engineers for predicting the surface roughness in multi-hole simultaneous drilling processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of nanosized composition (NC) based on TiN, SiC and TiCN nanopowders on the corrosion behavior of nanomodified AlSi7Mg alloy is investigated. Accelerated corrosion tests are carried out to compare the resistance of the non-modified and nanomodified AlSi7Mg alloys to uniform, intergranular and pitting corrosion. The uniform corrosion (UC) test is performed by the gravimetric method through continuous immersion of the specimens in a 3 % NaCl + 0.1 % H2O2 solution for 360 h at 25°C and 50°C. The intergranular (IGC) and pitting corrosion (PC) tests are performed in a 3 % NaCl + 1 % HCl at 25°C under complete immersion conditions. Data on the change of the modified alloys corrosion rate depending on the solutions temperatures and the modifiers type is obtained. It is found that UC occurs in all investigated alloys 3,1 to 5,7 times faster at 25°C than at 50°C. No clear dependence of the penetration depth of IGC as well as of the corrosion pits density and size on the type of NC is observed. The type, the composition and the crystallinity degree of the corrosion products deposited on the specimens' surface at both temperatures are investigated by X-ray diffraction analysis. The crystallinity degree of the modified alloys is higher compared to that of the non-modified alloy depending on both the modifier composition type and the solutions temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low adherence of diamond-like carbon (DLC) films on titanium (Ti) alloys can be improved by using interlayer coatings. In this study, DLC (a-C:H) films were deposited using radio-frequency plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (rf-PECVD), and a TiCN interlayer was applied between the extra low interstitial (ELI) grade of Ti-6Al-4V alloy and a-C:H film. The characteristics of the a-C:H-coated Ti-6Al-4V ELI alloy were investigated using field emission scanning electron microscopy, Vickers hardness, and scratch and wear tests. The DLC (a-C:H) films deposited by rf-PECVD had a thickness of 1.7 µm, and the TiCN interlayer had a thickness of 1.1 µm. Vickers hardness of the DLC (a-C:H) films were increased as a result of the influence of the TiCN interlayer. The resulting friction coefficient of the a-C:H-coated Ti-6Al-4V with the TiCN interlayer had an extremely low value of 0.07. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• TiCN-graphene composites produced by intercalation of ethylenediamine and poly(ethyleneimine) as organic linkers. • TiCN-graphene composites supported Pt nanoparticles for methanol oxidation reaction. • Pt nanoparticles are deposited on top of the TiCN particles. • The mass activity was improved on the graphene composite-supported catalysts. • Ethylenediamine leads to more active and stable catalyst. In the present work, the effect of different composites as electrocatalytic supports for the methanol oxidation reaction is evaluated. Two different TiCN-rGO composites, using organic compounds as linkers were synthesized. Subsequently, platinum was incorporated in the form of nanoparticles, and the electrocatalysts were characterized and compared with similar nanoparticles supported on TiCN. The electrocatalysts were characterized by XPS, TEM, XRD, Raman and FTIR spectroscopies and ICP-MS and the catalytic performance toward CO ads and methanol oxidations was evaluated. Results showed that the platinum nanoparticles were preferentially deposited on top of the TiCN particles rather than on the reduced graphene oxide, which allowed the nanoparticles to benefit from the TiCN electronic promoting effect. In addition, the presence of reduced graphene oxide contributes on the improvement of the morphological properties of the electrocatalyst, reducing the agglomeration degree of the particles and considerably enhancing the catalytic mass activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, Titanium carbon nitride (TiCN) thin films have been synthesized over Si (100) substrate using chemical vapour deposition (CVD) process under N 2 gas flow rate to study the suitability of CVD for the growth of TiCN coating over machine tools. The morphological, structural, corrosion behavior and mechanical properties of the coatings have been characterized using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), corrosion test and Nano-indentation. SEM images revealed a smoother morphology of the TiCN coating surface without any pores. The AFM results revealed an increase in surface roughness from 40.88 nm to 48.25 nm. The particle size of TiCN thin film also found to be increasing with a higher N 2 flow rate. The XRD peaks of TiCN were observed in the range of 37°-38°. 44°-44.5° and 61°- 62° attributed to (111), (200) and (220) crystal plane. The XRD results also confirmed the presence of stress in the coatings. The polarization test indicates a reduction of corrosion resistance with a higher N 2 gas flow rate. The mechanical properties investigated by the nano-indentation method indicated an increase in Hardness (H) and Young's modulus (E) of the coating with a higher N 2 flow rate. The maximum H and E of the coatings were observed as 27.85 GPa and 486.22 GPa respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the development of TiCN - Co - Cr 3 C 2 - Si 3 N 4 cermets modified with the addition of B 4 C. Cermets of three different compositions with varying B 4 C in TiCN - Co - Cr 3 C 2 - Si 3 N 4 were fabricated. The TiCN, Co, Cr 3 C 2 , Si 3 N 4 and B 4 C powders in the combinations 80%TiCN-5%Co-5%Cr 3 C 2 –5%Si 3 N 4 –5%B 4 C; 75%TiCN-5%Co-5%Cr 3 C 2 –5%Si 3 N 4 –10%B 4 C; 70%TiCN-5%Co-5%Cr 3 C 2 –5%Si 3 N 4 –15%B 4 C were ground in a ball milling unit for six hours at a speed of 300 rpm at a ball-to-powder ratio of 10:1. The powders were then sintered in a vacuum hot press at a temperature of 1600 °C and a pressure of 50 MPa with soaking time of 90 min. For comparison purpose, 90%TiCN-5%Co-5%Cr 3 C 2 cermet was prepared. The microstructure of the sintered cermets revealed the core-rim structure. The Vickers hardness test was done with a load of 10 Kg and for duration of 10 s. Fracture toughness was measured using the crack length data obtained from the hardness test using scanning electron microscopy. The cermet with a composition 75% TiCN-5%Co-5% Cr 3 C 2 –5% Si 3 N 4 –10% B 4 C produced higher hardness of 26.53 ± 0.56 GPa and fracture toughness of 10.29 ± 0.18 MPa m and 70% TiCN-5%Co-5% Cr 3 C 2 –5% Si 3 N 4 –15% B 4 C showed high fracture toughness value of 11.23 ± 0.09 MPa m with hardness value of 21.05 ± 0.10 GPa. The cermet composition 75% TiCN-5%Co-5% Cr 3 C 2 –5% Si 3 N 4 –10% B 4 C retained the hardness of 16.85 GPa even after annealing at 600 °C. The sintered cermets tend to form TiO 2 which determines the hardness of the annealed cermets at a range of 600 °C – 1000 °C. The presence of these oxides tends to decrease the hardness. The wear test was performed taking the cermet as the pin material. The abrasive and adhesive wear mechanisms were dominant in the cermets. The harder precipitates formed tend to increase wear resistance by reducing the wear rate. The harder precipitates (TiN and TiB 2) formed mainly due to the addition of Si 3 N 4 and B 4 C, this addition promotes adhesive wear by a tribolayer formation. • Developed 75% TiCN-5%Co-5% Cr 3 C 2 –5% Si 3 N 4 –10% B 4 C cermet with hardness of 26.53 ± 0.56 GPa and K 1c of 10.29 ± 0.18 MPa m. • 75% TiCN-5%Co-5% Cr 3 C 2 –5% Si 3 N 4 –10% B 4 C retained the hardness of 14 GPa even after annealing at 1000 °C. • 75% TiCN-5%Co-5% Cr 3 C 2 –5% Si 3 N 4 –10% B 4 C cermet showed high wear resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zr, Nb and Si doped TiCN coatings, with (C+N)/(metal + Si) ratios of approximately 1, were deposited on stainless steel and Si wafer substrates using a cathodic arc technique in a mixture of N2 and CH4 gases. The coatings were comparatively analysed for elemental and phase composition, adhesion, anticorrosive properties and tribological performance at ambient and 250 °C. Zr, Nb and Si alloying contents in the coatings were in the range 2.9–9.6 at.%. All the coatings exhibited f.c.c. solid solution structures and had a 〈111〉 preferred orientation. In the adhesion tests conducted, critical loads ranged from 20 to 30 N, indicative of a good adhesion to substrate materials. The Ti based coatings with Nb or Si alloying elements proved to be resistant to corrosive attack in 3.5% NaCl and of these coatings the TiNbCN was found to have the best corrosion resistance. TiCN exhibited the best tribological performance at 250 °C, while at ambient temperatures it was TiNbCN. Abrasive and oxidative wear was found to be the main wear mechanism for all of the coatings. Of the tested coatings, TiNbCN coatings would be the most suitable candidate for severe service (high temperature, corrosive, etc.) applications.

In this study, the microstructural and densification behavior of titanium nitride (TiN) and titanium carbonitride (TiCN) reinforced Ti-6Al-4V were investigated under an applied pressure of 50 MPa, sintering temperatures of 1000–1100 °C, heating rate of 100 °C/min and dwell time of 10–20 min through spark plasma sintering technique. Results show that the microstructural transformation of the titanium matrix composite comprises of a mixture of lamellar colonies with β grain boundaries and nanoparticles with an average grain size range of 4.5–6.0 μm. Furthermore, an addition of nanoceramics TiN/TiCN resulted in microstructural transformation, uniform particle distribution within the metal matrix and along the grain boundary. However, the sintered relative density of the composites decreased with the percentage increase in TiCN, while fully dense composites were obtained at a sintering temperature of 1100 °C. Microhardness values of the sintered composites reach a greater level in comparison to Ti-6Al-4V alloy while fracture morphology of the sintered composites with addition of nanoceramics (TiN/TiCN) displayed a transgranular transformation within the matrix accompanied with fine dimple features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hard wear-resistant nanocomposite Ti–Al–Ni–C–N coatings were deposited by direct current magnetron sputtering (DCMS) and high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS) in the Ar, Ar+15%N 2, and Ar+25%N 2 atmospheres. The structure of coatings was analyzed using the X-ray diffraction analysis, glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Mechanical and tribological properties were measured using the nanoindentation and scratch testing as well as by tribological testing using the "pin-on-disc" scheme. Electrochemical corrosion resistance and oxidation resistance of coatings were investigated. The results suggest that the coatings are based on the FCC phases TiCN and Ni 3 Al with crystallites size ~3 and ~15 nm, correspondingly. DCMS coatings with optimal composition were characterized by hardness 34 GPa, stable friction coefficient <0.26 and wear rate <5 × 10-6 mm3N-1m-1. Application of HIPIMS mode allowed the increase of adhesion strength, tribological properties and corrosion resistance of coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a review on sintered titanium nitride and titanium carbonitride-based cermets. TiN and TiCN based composites are remarkable class of cermets showing outstanding combination of hardness, high temperature strength and surface stability in tribology, corrosive or oxidative environments. These cermets play important roles in cutting tools and other high-temperature applications. Nonetheless, the cermets suffer some setback in toughness functionality required in cutting tools especially at high temperatures. Many researchers have worked on enhancing the hardness and toughness behaviours of TiCN using metallic binders to modify the toughness properties. The only achievement obtained was an improvement in high hardness with low toughness. This review is needed to evaluate the trends of achievement and development in the enhancement of optimum combination of hardness and toughness required in cutting tools applications. Additionally, it forecasts the essentiality of developing binderless phase TiCN with ultra-toughness that will significantly solve the deficiencies in high temperature application of TiCN as cutting tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nanomodification of cast iron is usually performed in order to improve its mechanical properties but it influences also its microstructure and corrosion properties. The impact of nanomodification is studied on cast iron GG25 modified by introducing a nanocomposition melt of 5TiCN:3Y2O3:16Cr:5Fe. The metallographic observations of the modified and the non-modified cast samples show significant refinement of the carbide lamellae, the pearlite areas and the phosphide eutectic in the modified sample. The method of accelerated corrosion testing by cyclic immersion in two types of model corrosion environments is applied in order to estimate the modified and unmodified samples corrosion behavior. Data on the corrosion rate changes during the test and after it (1240 h) in groundwater and 3% aqueous solution of NaCl is obtained. A decrease of the corrosion rate of the modified cast iron compared to that of the non-modified one is registered after the end of the test in both corrosion environments: a decrease of 33% in groundwater and of 6% in 3% NaCl solution. The type, the composition and the crystallinity degree of the corrosion products deposited on the samples surface in both environments are investigated by X-ray diffraction analysis. The established decrease of crystallinity after modification is related to the general refinement of the microstructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the influence of NbZr and ZrSi addition to TiCN coatings are studied, aiming for their use as protective layers for parts subjected to severe corrosion and wear. The coatings with C/N ratios ranging from 0.4 to 2.5 were deposited using the cathodic arc technique in a mixture of N 2 and CH 4 gases, on 316 stainless steel discs and Si (111) wafers. All the coatings exhibited residual compressive stresses, with values ranging from approximately-2.4 GPa to −3.5 GPa. The addition of Si led to an increase in hardness, regardless of the C/N ratio. All coatings with high C/N ratio (~2.5) presented slightly lower stress values and superior performance in 3.5% NaCl corrosive solutions, the best performance being obtained for the TiSiZrCN coating, which exhibited the highest protective efficiency to corrosion (97.8%), due to its low corrosion current density (1.734 μA/cm2) and high polarization resistance (31.775 kΩ). The tribological tests, performed at 23 °C and 250 °C, indicated that abrasion and oxidation were the predominant wear mechanism for all coatings. At 23 °C, the friction coefficients of the coated specimens were significantly lower than those of the uncoated samples. When the collective performance across all of the experimental parameters was assessed, the coatings with C/N of about 2.5 proved to be the most suitable candidates to be used in severe service conditions. • NbZr and ZrSi addition to TiCN coatings were deposited by cathodic arc. • The coatings with C/N ratios ranged from 0.4 to 2.5 were deposited. • The coatings with C/ N = 2.5 demonstrated the best performance in the 3.5% NaCl. • The coatings with C/N of 2.5 have the best wear rate at 250 °C. • Friction for the coatings is >3 times lower than those of uncoated substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract TiCN/α-Al 2 O 3 coatings grown by thermally activated chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on cemented carbide cutting inserts typically exhibit a thermal crack network. Although these coated inserts are frequently industrially used for various cutting operations, there is still a lack in understanding of formation and characteristics of these cracks. Thus, the present work focuses on the investigation of the crack network observed on the surface as well as within the layers of CVD TiCN/α-Al 2 O 3 coated cemented carbide cutting inserts. The samples were investigated in different conditions, i.e. in the as-deposited state, after post-treatment by wet-blasting, after annealing, after wet-blasting and annealing, and after face turning, by scanning electron microscopy. Cross-sections of cracked areas were prepared by focused ion beam milling to evaluate crack formation and opening. Further, diffusion processes within the cracks were investigated by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. While wet-blasting results in closure of thermal cracks near the coating surface due to the introduction of compressive stresses, this effect is equalized after annealing and after turning; cracks are filled with TiO 2 caused by oxidation of the TiCN base-layer and reaction with Al 2 O 3 and – in the case of turning – by workpiece material. Highlights • Characterization of the thermal crack network on CVD TiCN/Al 2 O 3 coated cutting inserts. • Crack extension investigated by scanning electron microscopy. • Crack closure influenced by post-treatment, annealing and turning. • Thermal cracks partially filled with TiO 2 and workpiece material components after turning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract As the radius of argon ions is larger than other fragments in the medium of plasma in the plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition (PACVD) technique, it affects the microstructure and mechanical properties of the coatings. Thus, in this paper, the influence of various N 2 /Ar gas flow ratios on characteristics of TiCN thin coatings on a cold work tool steel have been investigated. These coatings were produced by the method of pulsed DC-PACVD at a temperature of 480 °C. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) were employed for determining the microstructure and chemical composition of various coatings. Various mechanical properties such as micro-hardness, nano-hardness, wear behavior, and toughness were also investigated. The obtained results indicated that the N 2 /Ar gas flow ratio of 0.6 led to optimal mechanical properties. Such ratio reduced the value of the friction coefficient to 0.15 owing to lower roughness. Besides, the growth rate was found to be highest corresponding to a gas flow ratio of 0.5. It was found that the titanium content in such coatings could enhance the growth rate of TiCN coatings. XRD results also demonstrated that the N 2 /Ar gas flow ratio value of 0.4 resulted in the formation of the TiN and TiC plus the free carbon phases instead of forming the TiC 0.3 N 0.7 phase. The N 2 /Ar gas flow ratio value of 0.7 also lowered mechanical properties such as the toughness and the micro-hardness. Their values were found to be 2.3 MPam0.5 and 940 HV0.01, respectively. Highlights • This paper shows properties of multicomponent coatings of TiC 0.3 N 0.7 that was deposited by pulsed DC-PACVD. • The TiCN coating with the N 2 /Ar gas flow ratio with value of 0.6 led to improve all mechanical properties. • The argon flow rate had an effective role on changing the structure of TiC 0.3 N 0.7 coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract TiCN/TiNbCN multilayers were deposited on silicon substrates by r.f. magnetron sputtering with alternatively changing the sputtering plasma composition between pure Ti + C and Nb elements under a reactive mixture Ar/N 2. Bilayer period values varied from nanometric range (15 nm) to higher micrometric range (1.5 μm). The coatings structural and stoichiometric properties were analyzed by HAX-ray, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The multilayer period and relative thickness were clearly determined, and a growth structure was found on the TiCN/TiNbCN multilayers. Additionally, an epitaxial relationship was found between layers inside each columnar crystallite, given by (111)[110] TiCN //(111)[110] TiNbCN. The mechanical properties showed an evolution as function of bilayer period increase under cube-on-cube epitaxial growth effect. Highlights • Modulation of the niobium signal (83Nb+) in the [TiCN/TiNbCN] 30 multilayer system with superlattices effect. • Cube-on-cube epitaxial growth. • Epitaxial relationship (111)[110]TiCN//(111)[110]TiNbCN. • Thank you very much. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat treatment of active components of cold – moulding tools is a necessary operation to guarantee their functionality. The tools made by this method loose the required quality of durability and period of service and losses caused by their frequent exchange are high. One way we can stop it is by coating the active parts of pressing tools by thin, hard and abrasion resistant deposit that is suitable by definite method of the tool stress.

Multi-spindle drilling simultaneously produces multiple holes to save time and increase productivity. The assessment of hole quality is important in any drilling process and is influenced by characteristics of the cutting tool, drilling parameters and machine capacity. This study investigates the drilling performance of uncoated carbide, and coated carbide (TiN and TiCN) drills when machining Al2024 aluminium alloy. Thrust force and characteristics of hole quality, such as the presence of burrs and surface roughness, were evaluated. The results show that the uncoated carbide drills performed better than the TiN and TiCN coated tools at low spindle speeds, while TiCN coated drills produced better hole quality at higher spindle speeds. The TiN coated drills gave the highest thrust force and poorest hole quality when compared with the uncoated carbide and TiCN coated carbide drills. Additionally, a multi-layer perceptron neural network model was developed, which could be useful for industries and manufacturing engineers for predicting the surface roughness in multi-hole simultaneous drilling processes.

The submitted contribution deals with the wear of thin coatings applied to convex–concave gearings for gear made from C45E steel. The influence of the tribological characteristics (friction coefficient, wear, adhesion and hardness) of the TiN, TiCN coatings and the combined coating of TiCN + MoS2 on convex–concave gearing is described, from the aspects of scuffing formation. Scuffing tests were done on C–C gears. Coatings were applied by arc–ion-plating (AIP) and magnetron sputter-ion-plating (MSIP) methods. The thickness of the deposited coating and its chemical composition were determined by SEM and EDX analysis. Load-bearing capacity was evaluated by a Niemann tester. The TiCN + MoS2 combined coating with the MoS2 layer on the top reached the lowest coefficient of friction. However, after a rapid wearing of the MoS2 layer, this value dropped to a comparable value of TiCN. The nano-hardness of the TiCN layer was higher in comparison with TiN. Thin and soft MoS2 layers cracked already at lower load levels and separated from the substrate at the 5th load stage. The formation of scuffings for selected coatings documented in this article was solved for convex–concave gearing working also in interaction with Biogear S 150 and Biohyd MS 46 oils.

Heat treatment of active components of cold-moulding tools is a necessary operation to guarantee their functionality. The tools made by this method lost required quality of durability and period of service and losses caused by their frequent exchange are high. One way we can stop it is by coating the active parts of pressing tools by thin, hard and abrasion resistant deposit that is suitable by definite method of the tool stress.

We present the performance of dry sliding metal-metal wear performance of AISI SS410 and Ti-C-N coated specimens at room temperature. In this investigation, the ball cratering abrasive wear testing method was used with a various loads of 2N, 3N and 4N, with total sliding distance of 353.43 m and at a constant sliding speed of 0.3927 ms-1. In this testing machine the abrasive ball of high carbon steel with 750 HV at 100 g load is rotated against the Ti-C-N composite coated and uncoated AISI SS410. The worn surfaces were examined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) (with EDAX attachment). The more grooving region, pits, ploughing ridge were found on the worn surface of the high carbon steel.

In this work, TiN/TiCN & PN/TiCN multilayer films were deposited by plasma- assisted chemical vapour deposition (PACVD). Plasma nitriding (PN) and TiN intermediate layer prior to coating leads to appropriate hardness gradient and it can greatly improve the mechanical properties of the coating. The composition, crystalline structure and phase of the films were investigated by X-ray diffraction. Atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were employed to observe the morphology and structure of the films. The TiCN layer exhibited a columnar structure. The adhesion force between the film and the tool steel substrate was 30.8 MPa for TiN/TiCN and 25.4 MPa for PN/TiCN film determined by pull off tests. The hardness of TiN/TiCN film was 12.75 GPa while it was 5.4 GPa for PN/TiCN film, respectively. The improvement of the adhesion in TiN/TiCN was attributed to a less gradient hardness configuration. In addition, the mean friction coefficients of the films were about 0.2 for TiN/TiCN and 0.3 for PN/TiCN film determined by nanoindentation tests.

Two different steel substrates were coated with the same gradient multilayer TiN/TiCN coating in the plasma‐assisted chemical vapor deposition (PACVD) process. The multilayer TiN/TiCN coatings on the substrate of the X37CrMoV5‐1 tool steel and the X22CrMoV12‐1 stainless steel were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersion spectroscopy (EDS), calotest, and electrochemical methods. The analysis results show quite uniform TiN/TiCN coatings of high density, with similar surface topography and thickness, similar changes in the chemical composition across the thickness of the layer, and good adhesion to the substrates. Direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC) corrosion tests carried out in a solution of 3.5% NaCl have shown better corrosion resistance of the TiN/TiCN multilayer coating deposited on the substrate of stainless steel than the same coating deposited on the hot work tool steel. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) tests have shown that the coatings deposited on both steel substrates have a tendency towards local corrosion due to the existence of microporosity and defects in the coating microstructure. The manuscript describes a comparative study of corrosion behavior of the same PACVD produced gradient multilayer TiN/TiCN coating on two different steel substrates, the X37CrMoV5‐1 tool steel and the X22CrMoV12‐1 stainless steel. The multilayer TiN/TiCN coating were characterized by SEM, EDS, calotest, and electrochemical methods. The novelty of this work is characterization of coating on stainless steel and its comparison on tool steel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The poor adhesion of nitride coatings to steel substrates is one of the main challenges for industrial applications. In this study, plasma nitriding process and TiN functional intermediate layer were used in order to increase the adhesion of TiCN coating to the hot worked steel H13 substrate and also to improve its mechanical properties. The functionally graded nanostructured TiCN coating was deposited using pulsed-DC plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition (PACVD) method. The coatings microstructural and mechanical properties were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical microscopy (OM), Rockwell-C indentation, micro hardness and ball-on-disk tests. The results showed that peaks of TiN and TiCN phases existed in the XRD pattern and the size of their crystallites is about 7 nm. Carbon and nitrogen contents in the TiCN coating gradually increased from the substrate to its surface. The functional coating prepared at 475 °C had higher adhesion to the substrate in comparison with those deposited at 450 and 500 °C. The high adhesion led to reduction of radial and peripheral cracks within the coating. Decrease in the friction coefficient and lost volume during ball-on-disk tests indicated that the wear resistance of the functional coating deposited at 475 °C was 78% higher than that of the other coatings. Highlights • A functionally graded TiN layer was used for enhancing the adhesion of TiCN coating on steel H13. • The hardness of coating deposited at 500 °C, decreases through increasing the amorphous carbon by 0.58%. • By increasing the deposition temperature from 450 to 500 °C, the thickness of the TiCN coating reduces from 2.0 to 1.3 μm. • Plasma nitriding process and using a functional interlayer increases the adhesion of the TiCN coating to steel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • TiCN based composite coatings with metal Mo addition were successfully prepared by reactive plasma spraying. • TiCN-Mo composite coatings showed better wear resistance than TiCN coatings. • TiCN based coatings exhibited severe adhesive wear accompanied oxidative wear. Abstract In the present work, TiCN-Mo composite coatings were fabricated by using reactive plasma spraying with the mixture of Ti-graphite aggregates and metal Mo powders under N 2 condition. Results showed that metal Mo strips homogeneously dispersed in lamellar TiCN matrix to generate nearly alternate ceramic-metal composite coatings. Good interface bond were achieved between metal Mo strips and ceramic matrix due to the formation of rim structure. The Mo addition slightly decreased hardness of composite coatings. The hardness distribution uniformity of composite coatings also decreased as Mo content increased (>10 wt.%). TiCN-Mo composite coatings showed higher friction coefficient than coatings without Mo. TiCN-Mo composite coatings showed improved wear resistance with lower wear rate. Under present sliding wear condition, worn surfaces of TiCN based coatings were covered by thick iron and titanium oxide layer and wear debris contained large amount of oxides, indicating severe adhesive wear accompanied with oxidative wear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present investigation, Titanium Carbonitride (TiCN) coating was deposited on a cemented carbide substrate, by means of Plasma Enhanced Physical Vapour Deposition (PEPVD) process. The microstructure of the deposited film was characterized using the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Highly dense, less porous and uniformly distributed TiCN coating was observed on the coated surface. X-Ray diffraction analysis was carried out to access the phases present in the coated layer. The scratch resistance and hardness were measured using the scratch tester and Nanoindenter, respectively. The TiCN coating gives higher hardness and superior scratch resistance when compared to the substrate. The surface morphology of the coated film was characterized using the Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) and was found that the surface roughness was lesser for TiCN coating when compared to cemented carbide substrate. The intensified TiCN coating on the substrate will be useful in improving the surface behavior of cemented carbide cutting tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]