Influence of Isothermal Annealing on Microstructure, Morphology and Oxidation Behavior of AlTiSiN/TiSiN Nanocomposite Coatings

• Published in: Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2023-01, Vol.13 (3), p.474
• Main Authors: Šulhánek, Patrik, Ďuriška, Libor, Palcut, Marián, Babincová, Paulína, Sahul, Martin, Čaplovič, Ľubomír, Kusý, Martin, Orovčík, Ľubomír, Nagy, Štefan, Satrapinskyy, Leonid, Haršáni, Marián, Černičková, Ivona
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adhesives; AlTiSiN/TiSiN; Aluminum compounds; Aluminum oxide; Analysis; Annealing; Chemical composition; Coatings; Composite materials; Crack propagation; Cutting tools; Diffraction; Electron microscopy; Grain boundaries; Grain growth; High speed tool steels; Influence; Investigations; Isothermal annealing; Mechanical properties; Methods; Microstructure; Morphology; nanocomposite coating; Nanocomposites; Nanoparticles; Nitrides; Oxidation; Oxidation-reduction reaction; Physical vapor deposition; PVD; Scanning electron microscopy; Sensors; Silicon compounds; Silicon dioxide; Silicon nitride; Structure; Substrates; Thickness; Titanium compounds; Titanium dioxide; Transmission electron microscopy; X-ray diffraction; X-ray spectroscopy; X-rays
• ISSN: 2079-4991; 2079-4991
• DOI: 10.3390/nano13030474

The present work investigates the influence of isothermal annealing on the microstructure and oxidation behavior of nanocomposite coatings. AlTiSiN/TiSiN coatings with TiSiN adhesive layer were deposited onto a high-speed steel substrate via physical vapor deposition. The coatings were investigated in the as-deposited state as well as after annealing in air at 700, 800, 900 and 1000 °C, respectively. The microstructure and morphology of the coatings were observed using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The chemical composition and presence of oxidation products were studied by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The phase identification was performed by means of X-ray diffraction. In the microstructure of the as-deposited coating, the (Ti Al )N particles were embedded in an amorphous Si N matrix. TiO and SiO were found at all annealing temperatures, and Al O was additionally identified at 1000 °C. It was found that, with increasing annealing temperature, the thickness of the oxide layer increased, and its morphology and chemical composition changed. At 700 and 800 °C, a Ti-Si-rich surface oxide layer was formed. At 900 and 1000 °C, an oxidized part of the coating was observed in addition to the surface oxide layer. Compared to the as-deposited sample, the oxidized samples exhibited considerably worse mechanical properties.