Effect of nitrogen content on the mechanical and tribological properties of Ta–Si–C–N coatings deposited by HIPIMS

Ta–Si–C–N coatings were deposited by high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS) at different nitrogen contents in the working gas mixture. A TaSi₂ + 30 % SiC ceramic target fabricated by self-propagating high-temperature synthesis and hot pressing was used for sputtering. The peak power ranged from 30 to 70 kW, the average power from 0.9 to 1.7 kW, and the peak current from 50 to 100 A. The pulse frequency and duration were 1 kHz and 50 µs, respectively. The coatings were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Their mechanical properties were determined by nanoindentation. Pin-on-disk tribological tests were performed in air and in synthetic oil to determine the friction coefficient and specific wear rate. After testing, the coating surfaces were examined using an optical profilometer. All coatings exhibited a dense, low-defect structure with a uniform elemental distribution through their thickness. As the nitrogen flow rate increased, the coating deposition rate decreased from 129 to 62 nm/min, and the nitrogen content reached 52 at. %. XRD analysis indicated that the coatings were X-ray amorphous. The coating containing 16 at. % nitrogen exhibited the highest ​​ hardness (H = 25 GPa), elastic modulus (E = 257 GPa), elastic recovery (W = 57 %), and resistance to plastic deformation (H³/E² = 0.237 GPa), with an H/E ratio of 0.097. In synthetic oil, the lowest friction coefficient (0.11) and specific wear rate (2·10^–7 mm³/(N·m) were obtained for the coatings containing 23 and 52 at. % nitrogen, respectively.

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