Comparative properties of a strengthening amorphous-nanocrystalline coating on tool materials with significantly different coefficients of linear thermal expansion and thermal diffusivity

The influence of substrate material – cemented carbide (WC–Co containing 6 wt. % Co) and high-speed steels R18 (Russia), T1 (USA), and HS18–0–1 (Germany) – on the properties of strengthening Arc-PVD Ti–Mo–Al–Si–Ni–N coatings was investigated. Coatings deposited on high-speed steel substrates exhibited lower hardness, adhesion strength, and wear resistance than those depo­sited on cemented carbide substrate. This behavior is attributed to a reduction in compressive residual macrostresses compared with coatings on the cemented carbide substrate. The decrease in compressive stresses is associated with local overheating of the coating during deposition. Under ion bombardment, heat removal from the coating growth zone occurs more slowly, which promotes relaxa­tion of internal stresses. This effect is caused by the lower thermal diffusivity of high-speed steel compared with cemented carbide. Numerical simulation of substrate and coating heating during deposition confirms this mechanism.

1. Liew W.Y.H., Lim H.P., Melvin G.J.H., Dayou J., Jiang Z-T. Thermal stability, mechanical properties, and tribological performance of TiAlxN coatings: Understanding the effects of alloying additions. Journal of Materials Research and Technology. 2022;17:961–1012. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmrt.2022.01.005

2. Adesina Y. Tribological behavior of TiN/TiAlN, CrN/TiAlN, and CrAlN/TiAlN coatings at elevated temperature. Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance. 2022;31(8):6404–6419. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-022-06722-7

3. Deng Y., Chen W., Li B., Wang C., Kuang T., Li Y. Physical vapor deposition technology for coated cutting tools: A review. Ceramics International. 2020;46(11B): 18373–18390. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2020.04.168

4. Bayraktar S. Dry cutting: A sustainable machining technology. Sustainable Manufacturing. 2021;231–257. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-818115-7.00004-3

5. Rizzo A., Goel S., Grilli M.L., Iglesias R., Jaworska L., Lapkovskis V., Novak P., Postolnyi O.P., Valerini D. The critical raw materials in cutting tools for machining applications: A review. Materials. 2020;13:1377. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13061377

6. Blinkov I.V., Demirov A.P., Belov D.S., Chernogor A.V. Arc-PVD coatings for titanium machining tool. Journal of Physics: Conference Series. 2021;2144:012025. https://doi:10.1088/1742-6596/2144/1/012025

7. Sousa V.F.C., Da Silva F.J.G., Pinto G.F., Baptista A., Alexandre R. Characteristics and wear mechanisms of TiAlN-based coatings for machining applications: A comprehensive review. Metals. 2021;11(2):260. https://doi.org/10.3390/met11020260

8. Pu R., Yu Zh., Hao X., Yan J., Han Z., Tan J. Effect of Si content on microstructure, mechanical properties, and cutting performance of TiSiN/AlTiN dual-layer coating. Journal of Manufacturing Processes. 2023;88:134–144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmapro.2023.01.022

9. Zhang S., Wang H., Ong S., Sun D., Bui X. Hard yet tough nanocomposite coatings – present status and future trends. Plasma Processes and Polymers. 2007;4(3):219–228. https://doi.org/10.1002/ppap.200600179

10. Lopez-Cabanas I., Lorca J., González-Arrabal R., Meletis E.I., Molina-Aldareguia J.M. High throughput optimization of hard and tough TiN/Ni nanocomposite coatings by reactive magnetron sputter deposition. Surface and Coatings Technology. 2021;418:127226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2021.127226

11. Shima M., Okado J., McColl I.R., Waterhouse R.B., Hasegawa T., Kasaya M. The influence of substrate material and hardness on the fretting behaviour of TiN. Wear. 1999;225-229:38–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0043-1648(99)00062-9

12. Komarov F.F., Konstantinov V.M., Kovalchuk A.V., Konstantinov S.V., Tkachenko H.A. 3D: the effect of steel substrate pre-hardening on structural, mechanical, and tribological properties of magnetron sputtered TiN and TiAlN coatings. Wear. 2016;352:92–101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wear.2016.02.007

13. Drábik M., Truchlý M., Ballo V., Roch T., Kvetková L., Kúš P. Influence of substrate material and its plasma pretreatment on adhesion and properties of WC/AC: H nanocomposite coatings deposited at low temperature. Surface and Coatings Technology. 2018;333:138–147. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2017.10.081

14. Cai K., Jiang B., Zhang J., Su X. Preparation and tribocorrosion performance of different Si-doped TiSiN-Ag coatings on different substrates in seawater. Coatings. 2021;11(4):459. https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings11040459

15. Wang C.T., Hakala T.J., Laukkanen A., Ronkainen H., Holmberg K., Gao N., Wood R.J.K., Langdon T.G. An investigation into the effect of substrate on the load-bearing capacity of thin hard coatings. Journal of Materials Science. 2016;51:4390–4398. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-016-9751-8

16. Lepick M., Gradzka-Dahlke M., Pieniak D., Pasierbiewicz K., Krynsk K., Niewczas A. Tribological performance of titanium nitride coatings: a comparative study on tin-coated stainless steel and titanium alloy. Wear. 2019;422-423:68–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wear.2019.01.029

17. Seidl W.M., Bartosik M., Kolozsvári S., Bolvardi H., Mayrhofer P.H. influence of coating thickness and substrate on stresses and mechanical properties of (Ti,Al,Ta)N/(Al,Cr)N multilayers. Surface and Coatings Technology. 2018;347:92–98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2018.04.060

18. Sergevnin V.S., Blinkov I.V., Belov D.S., Demirov A.P., Chernogor A.V., Lobova T.A., Laptev A.I. Effect of HG40 and HS123 hard alloy tool substrates on the properties of hardening coating. Powder Metallurgy аnd Functional Coating. 2023;17(3):55–66. https://doi.org/10.17073/1997-308X-2023-3-55-66

19. Vereschaka A.A., Batako A.D.L., Vereschaka A.S., Dodonov A.I. Development of modifying compounds for multilayer nanostructured coatings for cutting tools. International Journal of Nanotechnology. 2017;14(1-6): 574–583. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJNT.2017.082440

20. Sobhbidari F., Hu Q. Recent advances in the mechanical characterization of shales at nano-to micro-scales: A review. Mechanics of Materials. 2021;162:104043. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mechmat.2021.104043

21. Wang P., Ma G., Su F., Guo W., Chen Sh., Zhao H., Liu M., Wang H. Excellent mechanical, electrical and current-carrying tribological properties of nano/micro composite TiO2–x coating prepared by supersonic plasma spraying. Surface and Coatings Technology. 2022;445:128710. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2022.128710

22. Yamamoto Sh. Physical meaning of the wear volume equation for nitrogenated diamond-like carbon based on energy considerations. Wear. 2016;368–369:156–161. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wear.2016.09.013

23. Ghanem A., Atallah M., Khlifi K., Barhoumi N., Terres M.A. investigation of friction and wear resistance of carbonitrided AlSi 4130 steels using single and multi-pass scratch technique. Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science. 2022;236:8690–8702. https://doi.org/10.1177/09544062221087539

24. Shtansky D.V., Petrzhik M.I., Bashkova I.A., Kiryukhantsev-Korneev F.V., Sheveǐko A.N., Levashov E.A. Adhesion, friction, and deformation characteristics of Ti-(Ca,Zr)-(C,N,O,P) coatings for orthopedic and dental implants. Physics of the Solid State. 2006;48(7):1301–1308. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1063783406070146

25. Li J., Han M., Li L., Gao Z., Zhang H. Surface effects on the self-equilibrium, self-bending and symmetry lowering of nanofilms. Scientific Reports. 2019;9(1):16959. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-53555-x

26. Shiri S., Ashtijoo P., Odeshi A., Yang Q. Evaluation of stoney equation for determining the internal stress of dlc thin films using an optical profiler. Surface and Coatings Technology. 2016;308:98–100. https://www.doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2016.07.098

27. Wolfe D.E., Gabriel B.M., Reedy M.W. Nanolayer (Ti, Cr) N coatings for hard particle erosion resistance. Surface and Coatings Technology. 2011;205:4569–4576. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2011.03.121

28. Hallett L., Charaev I., Agarwal A., Dane A., Colangelo M., Zhu D., Berggreen K.K. Superconducting mon thin films prepared by dc reactive magnetron sputtering for nanowire single-photon detectors. Superconductor Science and Technology. 2021;34(3):035012. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6668/abda5f

29. Sanjines R., Wiemer C., Almeida J., Levy F. Valence band photoemission study of the TiMoN system. Thin Solid Films. 1996;290-291:334–338. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0040-6090(96)09082-7

30. Bertoti I. Characterization of nitride coatings by XPS. Surface and Coatings Technology. 2002;151-152:194–203. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0257-8972(01)01619-X

31. Crist B.V. Handbook of the elements and native oxides. California: LLC XPS International; 1999. 560 p.

32. Chikhranov A., Tabakov V., Nazarova O. The influence of the tool base on the formation of stresses in wear-resistant coatings in the cutting process. MATEC Web of Conferences. 2018;224:01081. https://doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/201822401081

33. Liu Ch., Ju H., Han P., Quan Ch., Mo Ch., Zhao Y., Geng Y., Xu J., Yu L. The influence of carbon content on the microstructure, mechanical and frictional property of chromium carbon nitride composite films. Vacuum. 2020;178:109368. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vacuum.2020.109368

34. Ghufran M., Uddin G.M., Arafat S.M., Jawad M., Rehman A. Development and tribo-mechanical properties of functional ternary nitride coatings: Applications-based comprehensive review. Journal of Engineering Tribology. 2020;235:196–232. https://doi.org/10.1177/1350650120933412

35. Cao H., Li H., Liu F., Luo W., Qi F., Zhao N., Ouyang X., Liao B. Microstructure, mechanical and tribological properties of multilayer TiAl/TiAlN coatings on al alloys by FCVA technology. Ceramics International. 2022;48(4):5476–5487. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2021.11.092

36. Jaroš M., Musil J., Čerstvý R., Haviar S. Effect of energy on macrostress in Ti (Al, V) N films prepared by magnetron sputtering. Vacuum. 2018;158:52–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vacuum.2018.09.038

37. Qiu L.S., Zhu X.D., Xu K.W. Internal stress on adhesion of hard coatings synthesized by multi-arc ion plating. Surface and Coatings Technology. 2017;332:267–274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2017.07.076

38. Davis JR. ASM specialty handbook: Tool materials. ASM International; 1995. 489 p.

39. Schultrich B., Poeβnecker W. Thermal conductivity of cemented carbides. Journal of Thermal Analysis. 1988;33(1):305–310. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01914616

40. Belov D.S., Demirov A.P., Blinkov I.V., Sergevnin V.S., Chernogor A.V., Kiryukhantsev-Korneev P.V., Anikin V.N. Structure and properties features of CA-PVD Ti–Al–Ni–N coatings deposited on carbide alloys and tool steel substrates. Surface and Coatings Technology. 2024;494(1):131348. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2024.131348

41. Wen S., Du Y., Tan J., Liu Y., Zhou P., Long J., Kaptay G. A novel physical model for describing thermal conductivity of composite materials: application to the measured values in a two-phase WC-Co system. Acta Materialia. 2020:1–30. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3632520

42. Wen S., Du Y., Tan J., Liu Y., Zhou P., Long J., Kaptay G. A new model for thermal conductivity of “continuous matrix/ dispersed and separated 3d-particles” type composite materials and its application to WC-m (m = Co, Ag) systems. Journal of Materials Science & Technology. 2022;97:123–133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmst.2021.04.036

43. Gooch J.W., Law of mixtures. In: Encyclopedic dictionary of polymers. New York: Springer; 2011. 421 p.

44. Mnisi B.O., Benecha E.M., Tibane M.M. Density functional theory studies of structural, electronic and optical properties of cubic 3d-transition metal nitrides. Intermetallics. 2021;137:107272. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intermet.2021.107272

45. Jagannadham K. Metallurgical thermochemistry. Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A. 2015;24:478. https://doi.org/10.1116/1.4919067

46. Chase M.W. National Information Standards Organization (US), NIST-JANAF thermochemical tables. Washington, DC: American Chemical Society, 1998. 91951 p.

47. Zhang Y., Dai J., Bai G., Zhang H. Microstructure and thermal conductivity of AlN coating on Cu substrate deposited by arc ion plating. Materials Chemistry and Physics. 2020;241:122374. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matchemphys.2019.122374

48. Liu P., Wang X., He X., Qu X. Thermal and mechanical properties of diamond/SiC substrate reinforced by bimodal diamond particles. Carbon Letters. 2022;32(3): 917–925. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42823-022-00330-0

49. Kumar K., Park Y.J., Kim M.J., Kim H.N., Ma H.J., Lee J.W., Influence of ternary oxide additives on thermal conductivity of pressureless sintered Si3N4 . Materials Letters. 2022;328:133189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matlet.2022.133189