目的 本研究旨在通过调控靶电流精确控制各金属元素含量,进而明确靶电流及Cr、Ti、Al含量影响CrTiAlN薄膜性能的协同作用机制。方法 采用非平衡磁控溅射技术在M2高速钢上制备CrTiAlN多元硬质薄膜。系统调控Cr、Ti、Al靶电流,采用扫描电子显微镜（SEM）、能谱分析（EDS）和X射线衍射（XRD）等测试手段,表征了不同靶电流组合下薄膜的表面形貌、元素成分和物相组成;采用纳米压痕仪、划痕仪、表面轮廓仪、激光共聚焦显微镜和摩擦磨损试验机等设备,测试了不同靶电流组合下薄膜力学性能、结合强度、残余应力、摩擦学行为及摩擦磨损机理。结果 Cr、Ti、Al靶电流分别为4、5、5 A以及 6、7、6 A 时制备的CrTiAlN薄膜具有较好的致密性和低表面粗糙度Ra,其结晶性良好,为FCC单一固溶体结构。薄膜结合力与残余应力成反比,和薄膜致密度成正比,结合力最高达47 N。Cr、Ti、Al靶电流分别为6、7、6 A时薄膜具有较好的致密度和高Ti、Al含量,表现出最高硬度和弹性模量。薄膜表现出高耐磨性,20 N载荷下的磨损率最低为1.24×10-16 m3/(N·m),主要磨损机制为磨粒磨损。结论 通过精确调控金属靶电流,可以有效优化CrTiAlN薄膜的微观结构和综合性能,研究明确了获得高性能CrTiAlN薄膜的工艺窗口,为实现耐磨部件表面性能可控制备奠定了基础。
Abstract
To systematically investigate the effects of target current and elemental composition on the mechanical and tribological properties of CrTiAlN coatings, and further clarify the synergistic effects of target current and Cr, Ti, and Al content on coating performance, CrTiAlN coatings are deposited by closed-field unbalanced magnetron sputtering on M2 high speed steel substrates. The composition, microstructure, mechanical properties, tribological behavior, and wear mechanisms of the CrTiAlN coatings are systematically investigated under various target current combinations by adjusting the current of Cr, Ti, and Al. The surface morphology, elemental composition, and phase structure of the CrTiAlN coatings are characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Mechanical and tribological properties are evaluated with a nanoindenter, a scratch tester, a surface profilometer, a laser confocal microscope, and a friction-wear tester to determine hardness, adhesion strength, residual stress, and wear behavior under different target current combinations. The results indicate that the CrTiAlN coatings of Cr, Ti, and Al target current of 4 A, 5 A, and 5 A as well as 6 A, 7 A, and 6 A possess high density and low surface roughness Ra of 3.60 and 3.72 nm, respectively. The elemental composition of the coatings correlates with the proportion of metal target current, with Cr content ranging from approximately 41.68% to 44.17%, Ti from 2.61% to 4.62%, Al from 3.73% to 7.32%, and N from 42.46% to 44.98%. The coatings exhibit a single FCC solid-solution structure with good crystallinity. The residual stress increases with target current, and the lowest residual stress is observed at Cr, Ti, and Al target current of 4 A, 5 A, and 5 A, respectively. The adhesion strength of the CrTiAlN coatings decreases with increasing residual stress but improves with higher coating density, ranging from 8 to 47 N, with the sample of Cr, Ti, and Al target current of 4 A, 5 A, and 5 A exhibiting the maximum value of 47 N. Coating hardness and elastic modulus are influenced by target current via alterations in elemental ratios and coating density. Owing to the high Ti and Al content as well as the superior surface morphology, the coating of Cr, Ti, and Al target current of 6 A, 7 A, and 6 A exhibits the highest hardness and elastic modulus, reaching 26.81 GPa and 319.37 GPa, respectively. In terms of tribological behavior, the coatings exhibit friction coefficients of approximately 0.34-0.37 and excellent wear resistance, with wear rates as low as 1.24×10-16 m3/(N·m). The lower wear rate is attributed to its higher H/E and H³/E² ratios. The wear mechanisms of both them are characterized by abrasive wear. Regulation of Cr, Ti, and Al target current enables effective optimization of the microstructure and performance of CrTiAlN coatings. The established process window provides critical insights for the controllable fabrication of high-performance CrTiAlN coatings, laying a solid foundation for the development of wear-resistant components designed for demanding service environments.
关键词
磁控溅射 /
CrTiAlN /
靶电流 /
摩擦磨损 /
力学性能
Key words
magnetron sputtering /
CrTiAlN /
target current /
mechanical property /
tribological property
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基金
国家自然科学基金项目（52275186）; 中原学者工作站项目（254400510007）; 河南省自然科学基金（262300421931）
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