Effect of deposition parameters on TiAlN coating using pulsed DC CFUBMS

This paper aims to investigate the parametric effect of deposition and target frequency on the mechanical properties and machining performance of the TiAlN coatings deposited in a dual cathode pulsed dc CFUBMS system. Coating composition is not directly dependent on deposition temperature or target frequency individually but increase in both the parameters has led to Al rich coating. The coating thickness is influenced by target frequency only. The fatigue fracture resistance of the TiAlN coating has been evaluated by the nanoimpact test and it has been found to be at least as good as commercial Ti0.5Al0.5N coating deposited on cemented carbide. In dry machining SAE 1037 steel, it has been observed that the resistance to crater wear is influenced by target frequency. Simultaneous increase in the deposition temperature and target frequency has provided improved resistance to crater wear due to their favourable influence on the coating thickness and Al percentage

Short note on improved integration of mechanical testing in predictive wear models

In this work, a new global increment nano-fretting wear model based on the effective indenter concept has been used and the results were compared with experimental data. A series of DLC coatings with varied mechanical properties was deposited using industrial scale PECVD system and characterised on a low-drift nanomechanical test platform (NanoTest Vantage). 4500. cycle nano-scale fretting measurements have been performed in order to examine the tribological properties of the coatings. A physical analysis of the nanoindentation test enabled the true coating Young's Modulus (E) and the coating yield strength (Y) to be determined. In comparison to the hardness (H) this is the basis for a more generic understanding of the mechanical coating behaviour. This allowed a direct examination of the influence of the variation of Y/. E in the coatings on the observed nano-fretting wear, with the coating with highest Y/. E showing significantly improved resistance to nano-fretting wear. A preliminary evaluation of the stress field evolution during the test and the extraction of wear and fretting parameters provides the opportunity to discuss the effects possibly being dominant within the nano-scale tribo-tests

Cyclic nanoindentation and nano-impact fatigue mechanisms of functionally graded TiN/TiNi film.

The mechanisms of nanoscale fatigue of functionally graded TiN/TiNi films have been studied using multiple-loading cycle nanoindentation and nano-impact tests. The functionally graded films were sputter-deposited onto silicon substrates, in which the TiNi film provides pseudo-elasticity and shape memory behavior, while a top TiN surface layer provides tribological and anti-corrosion properties. Nanomechanical tests were performed to investigate the localised film performance and failure modes of the functionally graded film using both Berkovich and conical indenters with loads between 100 uN and 500 mN. The loading history was critical to define film failure modes (i.e. backward depth deviation) and the pseudo-elastic/shape memory effect of the functionally graded layer. The results were sensitive to the applied load, loading mode (e.g. semi-static, dynamic) and probe geometry. Based on indentation force-depth profiles, depth-time data and post-test surface observations of films, it was concluded that the shape of the indenter is critical to induce localised indentation stress and film failure, and generation of pseudo-elasticity at a lower load range. Finite element simulation of the elastic loading process indicated that the location of subsurface maximum stress near the interface influences the backward depth deviation type of film failure

Improvement of Wear Performance of Nano-Multilayer PVD Coatings under Dry Hard End Milling Conditions Based on Their Architectural Development

The TiAlCrSiYN-based family of PVD (physical vapor deposition) hard coatings was specially designed for extreme conditions involving the dry ultra-performance machining of hardened tool steels. However, there is a strong potential for further advances in the wear performance of the coatings through improvements in their architecture. A few different coating architectures (monolayer, multilayer, bi-multilayer, bi-multilayer with increased number of alternating nano-layers) were studied in relation to cutting-tool life. Comprehensive characterization of the structure and properties of the coatings has been performed using XRD, SEM, TEM, micro-mechanical studies and tool-life evaluation. The wear performance was then related to the ability of the coating layer to exhibit minimal surface damage under operation, which is directly associated with the various micro-mechanical characteristics (such as hardness, elastic modulus and related characteristics; nano-impact; scratch test-based characteristics). The results presented exhibited that a substantial increase in tool life as well as improvement of the mechanical properties could be achieved through the architectural development of the coatings

Nano-scratch testing of (Ti,Fe)Nx thin films on silicon

Thin films of (Ti,Fe)Nx have been produced on silicon wafers with a wide range of compositions and mechanical properties to investigate correlations between the mechanical properties measured by indentation and crack resistance in the highly loaded sliding contact in a nano-scratch test. The nano-scratch test data on the thin films using a well-worn Berkovich indenter with ~1 m end radius were supported by high resolution scanning electron microscopic (SEM) imaging and analytical stress modelling. The results show that mechanical properties of the coating, its thickness and the substrate properties all influence the deformation process. They affect the critical loads required, the type of failures observed and their location relative to the moving probe. The differences in coating mechanical properties affect how the interface is weakened (i.e. by initial substrate or coating yielding or both) and determine the deformation failure mechanism. The load dependence of the friction coefficient provides details of the sliding contact zone and the location of failure relative to the sliding probe. Improved performance was achieved at intermediate hardness and H3/E2 in the nano-scratch tests on thin films. The friction and modelling results strongly suggest that failure at low load on the hardest coatings is due to a combination of high tensile stress at the rear of the contact zone and substrate yield. Designing thin films for protective coatings with in-built dissipative structures (such as soft and low elastic modulus inclusions) and mechanisms to combat stress may be a more successful route to optimise their toughness in highly loaded sliding conditions than aiming to minimise plasticity by increasing their hardness

Development of DLC coating architectures for demanding functional surface applications through nano- and micro-mechanical testing

DLC coatings can combine high hardness with low friction. However, they are often deposited with high levels of intrinsic stress and display low adhesion strength resulting in poor performance in demanding applications. A highly topical challenge is to develop advanced DLC coatings capable of withstanding more demanding applications in the automotive, cutting tool, MEMS and oil and gas sectors. The results from several nanomechanical and tribological test techniques – nanoindentation, nano-scratch and nano-fretting (nano-wear) – can be used together to aid the design of DLC coating architectures for enhanced durability in specific applications. In this study the behaviour of multilayered DLC coatings (Cr/W–C:H/a-C:H, Cr/W–C:H/Si–a-C:H) was compared to that of CrN/a-C:H:W (WC/C). We have previously reported that in nano-wear tests the coating with the highest hardness and H/E displayed greater wear resistance [T.W. Liskiewicz et al., Surf. Coat. Technol. 237 (2013) 212]. By employing nano- and micro-scale tribological testing with probes of differing sharpness it is possible to change the sensitivity of the test to probe the response of the coating top layer or the entire multilayer coating–substrate system. In the nano-scratch tests using a spherical indenter with a 5 μm end radius the maximum stresses are located well within the top layer of the multilayer coatings and consequently the mechanical properties of this top layer dominate the nano-tribological behaviour. In the micro-scratch using a 25 μm spherical probe the stress field extends further towards the sub-layers and steel substrate and consequently the behaviour is completely different. Under these conditions the coating with the lowest hardness and H/E showed improved performance with higher critical loads for cracking and total coating failure. High resolution SEM imaging has been used to investigate this further. A simple contact model strongly suggests that cracking and failure events occur on the harder coatings when the maximum von Mises stress was located close to the interfaces in the multilayer systems

Local and Global Properties of a Lead-Free Solder

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