Mechanical properties and thermal stability of reactive arc evaporated Ti-Cr-Al-N coatings

Abstract: This licentiate thesis reports experimental and theoretical work on the high temperature mechanical properties and the thermal stability of cubic (c)-(Ti-Cr-Al)1-N1 coatings. It is demonstrated that it is possible to tailor and improve the properties of hard nitride coatings by different degrees of multicomponent alloying. When Cr is added to Ti-Al-N the coatings exhibit age hardening up to 1000 ºC which is higher compared to what is observed for Ti-Al-N. In addition, the coatings show a less pronounced hardness decrease when hexagonal (h)-Al-N is formed compared to Ti-Al-N. The improved thermal stability is discussed in terms of a lowered coherency stress and a lowered enthalpy of mixing due to the addition of Cr. When Ti is added to Cr-Al-N the formation and growth of the detrimental h-Al-N phase is suppressed and delayed improving the mechanical properties. This is discussed in terms of kinetic effects where the Ti atoms obstruct the Al diffusion and consequently the growth of h-Al-N precipitates. The microstructure evolution investigated at different stages of spinodal decomposition, coarsening and phase transformations are correlated to the thermal responses and the mechanical hardness of the coatings. Upon annealing up to 1400 ºC the coatings decompose into c-TiN, bcc-Cr and h-AlN. The decomposition takes place via several intermediate phases, c-CrAlN, c-TiCrN and hexagonal (?)-Cr2N.   The oxidation resistance of (Tix-Cry-Al60)1-N1 is also investigated and presented for different x/y ratios. The results show that it is possible to generate coatings with both excellent mechanical properties and oxidation resistance improving the functionality in the working temperature range of 850-1100 ºC of for example cutting tools.