Nickel effect on the structure and properties of adaptive wear-resistant arc-PVD Ti–Al–Mo–N coatings

Comparative studies of the structural characteristics and  functional properties of Ti–Al–Mo–N and  Ti–Al–Mo–Ni–N coatings obtained by the arc-PVD method were carried out  in order to study the effect of nanostructuring nickel additive. The coatings featured by  multilayered architecture  with alternating layers of  titanium and  molybdenum nitrides. Molybdenum and  nickel concentrations were about 22 at.%  and  7 at.%, respectively, which corresponds to optimal quantities for the best strength and tribological properties. It was shown that  nickel introduction reduces the coating modulation period from  60  to  30  nm  with a simultaneous  increase  in  hardness from  37  to  45  GPa.  At the same time,  an  increase  in  the tensile  strength of coatings  was noted, which was judged by the relative plastic deformation behavior as well as H/E, H ³/E ²  parameters. Ductile nickel added into the solid nitride coating structure led to a decrease in the level of compressive macrostresses in the material from –2.25 to –0.58 GPa,  without, however, any decrease in hardness and  fracture toughness that  was shown by scratch tests. It is concluded that  the factor determining mechanical characteristics of the coating is not  the macrostressed state, but  the refinement of the coating material grain structure. Nickel positively affected the coating heat resistance successfully protecting the substrate material from oxidation at temperatures up to 700°C, which may be associated with the likelihood of the formation of NiMoO₄ and NiTiO₃ nickel-containing oxides on the surface. However, their formation, fracture, and  action as abrasive particles can  cause a change in the friction wear mechanism at high temperatures.

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