A nanoindentation study of magnetron co-sputtered nanocrystalline ternary nitride coatings

Nanoindentation testing was used to determine the hardness, elastic modulus and plasticity parameter of three newly developed ternary nitride coatings with nano-sized grains. With decreasing nitrogen deposition pressure, grain diameter of the coatings decreases that leads to both higher nanohardness and elastic modulus with conservation of satisfactory values of plasticity characteristic

Properties of nanostructured diamond-silicon carbide composites sintered by high pressure infiltration technique

A high-pressure silicon infiltration technique was applied to sinter diamond–SiC composites with different diamond crystal sizes. Composite samples were sintered at pressure 8 GPa and temperature 2170 K. The structure of composites was studied by evaluating x-ray diffraction peak profiles using Fourier coefficients of ab initio theoretical size and strain profiles. The composite samples have pronounced nanocrystalline structure: the volume-weighted mean crystallite size is 41–106 nm for the diamond phase and 17–37 nm for the SiC phase. The decrease of diamond crystal size leads to increased dislocation density in the diamond phase, lowers average crystallite sizes in both phases, decreases composite hardness, and improves fracture toughness

AlMgB14-Based Films Prepared by Magnetron Sputtering at Various Substrate Temperatures

The films were deposited by magnetron sputtering the AlMgB14 target at different substrate temperatures (TS) in the range of 100-500 C. The films were annealed at 1000 C in vacuum. The deposited films were characterized by XRD, AFM, FTIR spectroscopy, nano- and micro-indentation and scratch testing. The films exhibit hardness that is much lower than the one of the bulk AlMgB14 materials, which is due to the amorphous film structure in which the strong B-B bonds are absent and the weaker B-O bonds dominate

Structural and Mechanical Properties of Nanocomposite Nb-Al-N Films

Nb-Al-N films were deposited by magnetron sputtering of the Nb and Al targets in the Ar-N2 atmosphere on silicon wafers at various currents supplied to the magnetron device with the Al target (IAl=100, 150, 200, 300 mA). The films were studied with XRD, FTIR spectroscopy, as well by nanoindentation and Knoop indentation tests. The films were found to have the nanocomposite nc-B1-NbNx/a-AlN structure and exhibit the nanohardness and Knoop hardness in the ranges of 29-33.5 GPa and 46-48 GPa, respectively. The hardness and elastic modulus has an extreme dependence on IAl

AlMgB14-Based Films Prepared by Magnetron Sputtering at Various Substrate Temperatures

The films were deposited by magnetron sputtering the AlMgB14 target at different substrate temperatures (TS) in the range of 100-500 C. The films were annealed at 1000 C in vacuum. The deposited films were characterized by XRD, AFM, FTIR spectroscopy, nano- and micro-indentation and scratch testing. The films exhibit hardness that is much lower than the one of the bulk AlMgB14 materials, which is due to the amorphous film structure in which the strong B-B bonds are absent and the weaker B-O bonds dominate

The effect of Al target current on the structure and properties of (Nb2Al)N films with an amorphous AlN phase

Nanocomposite films based on (Nb2Al)N intermetallic nitride have been obtained by the method of magnetron sputtering. Xray diffraction analysis revealed two stable states of the crystalline structure: (i) NbN with low amount (within 5 at %) of dissolved Al in a composition close to (Nb2Al)N and (ii) an amor phous component related to aluminum nitride formed by reactive magnetron sputtering. The substructural characteristics (grain size and microdeformation level) are sensitive to the current via Al target and exhibit correlation with nanohardness and Knoop hardness of the film, which vary within 29–33.5 and 46–48 GPa, respectively

The effect of Al target current on the structure and properties of (Nb2Al)N films with an amorphous AlN phase

Nanocomposite films based on (Nb2Al)N intermetallic nitride have been obtained by the method of magnetron sputtering. Xray diffraction analysis revealed two stable states of the crystalline structure: (i) NbN with low amount (within 5 at %) of dissolved Al in a composition close to (Nb2Al)N and (ii) an amor phous component related to aluminum nitride formed by reactive magnetron sputtering. The substructural characteristics (grain size and microdeformation level) are sensitive to the current via Al target and exhibit correlation with nanohardness and Knoop hardness of the film, which vary within 29–33.5 and 46–48 GPa, respectively

Structure and properties of nanocomposite Nb-Al-N films

Nanocomposite Nb–Al–N films prepared by magnetron sputtering have been studied. It has been found that, in the films, there are two stable crystalline structural states, namely, NbNz and B1–Nb1 ⎯ xAlxNyO1 – y, and an amorphouslike component related to aluminum oxynitride upon reactive magnetron sputtering. It has been established that the substructure characteristics are sensitive to the current supplied to an Al target and are related to the Knoop nanohardness and hardness, which change in the ranges of 29–33.5 and 46–48 GPa, respectively. Ab initio calculations for the NbNz and Nb2AlN phases and NbN/AlN heterostructures have been performed to interpret the obtained results for the first time.

Structure and properties of nanocomposite Nb-Al-N films

Nanocomposite Nb–Al–N films prepared by magnetron sputtering have been studied. It has been found that, in the films, there are two stable crystalline structural states, namely, NbNz and B1–Nb1 ⎯ xAlxNyO1 – y, and an amorphouslike component related to aluminum oxynitride upon reactive magnetron sputtering. It has been established that the substructure characteristics are sensitive to the current supplied to an Al target and are related to the Knoop nanohardness and hardness, which change in the ranges of 29–33.5 and 46–48 GPa, respectively. Ab initio calculations for the NbNz and Nb2AlN phases and NbN/AlN heterostructures have been performed to interpret the obtained results for the first time.

Nb–Al–N thin films: Structural transition from nanocrystalline solid solution nc-(Nb,Al)N into nanocomposite nc-(Nb, Al)N/a–AlN

Structures and mechanical properties of thin films of the Nb–Al–N system produced by magnetron sputtering of targets from niobium and aluminum in the Ar–N2 atmosphere have been studied. It has been shown that as the aluminum concentration increases, the structure of a thin film transforms from the nanocrystalline into the nanocomposite one, which consists of nanocrystallites of solid solutions in a matrix of amorphous aluminum nitride. Hardness, elastic modulus, and yield strength of Nb–Al–N thin films have been studied by nanoindentation in the mode of continuous control of the contact stiffness. It has been found that the transition of the structures of Nb–Al–N thin films from the nanocrystalline to the nanocomposite structures results in an increase of hardness and decrease of elastic modulus due to the for mation of a thin amorphous interlayer between grains of nanocrystallites. A high hardness to elastic modulus ratio of Nb–Al–N nanocomposite thin films indicates that the films are a promising material for wear resistant coatings.