Structural changes in Ti 1-x Al x N coated tool inserts used for turning in 316L stainless steel were investigated by XANES, EXAFS, EDS, and STEM. For coarse-grained fcc-structured Ti 1-x Al x N ...coatings, with 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.62, the XANES spectrum changes with Al-content. XANES Ti 1s line-scans across the rake face of the worn samples reveals that TiN-enriched domains have formed during turning in Ti 0.47 Al 0.53 N and Ti 0.38 Al 0.62 N samples as a result of spinodal decomposition. The XANES spectra reveal the locations on the tool in which the most TiN-rich domains have formed, indicating which part of the tool-chip contact area that experienced the highest temperature during turning. Changes in the pre-edge features in the XANES spectra reveal that structural changes occur also in the w-TiAlN phase in fine-grained Ti 0.38 Al 0.62 N during turning. EDS shows that Cr and Fe from the steel adhere to the tool rake face during machining. Cr 1s and Fe 1s XANES show that Cr is oxidized in the end of the contact length while the adhered Fe retains in the same fcc-structure as that of the 316L stainless steel.
A new approach was adopted to improve the corrosion resistance of CrN hard coatings by inserting a Al2O3 layer through atomic layer deposition. The influence of the addition of a Al2O3 interlayer, ...its thickness, and the position of its insertion on the microstructure, surface roughness, corrosion behavior, and mechanical properties of the coatings was investigated. The results indicated that addition of a dense atomic layer deposited Al2O3 interlayer led to a significant decrease in the average grain size and surface roughness and to greatly improved corrosion resistance and corrosion durability of CrN coatings while maintaining their mechanical properties. Increasing the thickness of the Al2O3 interlayer and altering its insertion position so that it was near the surface of the coating also resulted in superior performance of the coating. The mechanism of this effect can be explained by the dense Al2O3 interlayer acting as a good sealing layer that inhibits charge transfer, diffusion of corrosive substances, and dislocation motion.
Cutting tools with hard coatings have been successfully employed in the industry for almost 50 years. Nowadays, 85% of all cemented carbide tools are coated. There is an increasing demand for ever ...more efficient tools driven by the use of new workpiece materials as well as the demand for increased productivity of manufacturing processes. A historical review of the development of CVD and PVD processes shows a continuous improvement of successful coating materials through adjustments of the chemical composition and the coating architecture. Especially nanostructured PVD coatings managed to establish themselves on the market surprisingly quickly. Cutting tools are an excellent example for how the development of coated products is traced methodologically by means of a holistic view over the application. The demand for innovative tooling concepts will continue to exist in the future, as will the high potential for this aim to be achieved through high-performance coatings on improved cutting materials with adjusted tool design.
The influence of changes induced by ion irradiation on structure and thermal stability of metastable cubic (Ti,Al)N coatings deposited by cathodic arc evaporation is systematically investigated by ...correlating experiments and theory. Decreasing the nitrogen deposition pressure from 5.0 to 0.5 Pa results in an ion flux-enhancement by a factor of three and an increase of the average ion energy from 15 to 30 eV, causing the stress-free lattice parameter to expand from 4.170 to 4.206 Å, while the chemical composition of Ti0.27Al0.21N0.52 remains unchanged. The 0.9% lattice parameter increase is a consequence of formation of Frenkel pairs induced by ion bombardment, as revealed by density functional theory (DFT) simulations. The influence of the presence of Frenkel pairs on the thermal stability of metastable Ti0.27Al0.21N0.52 is investigated by scanning transmission electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, atom probe tomography and in-situ synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction. It is demonstrated that the ion flux and ion energy induced formation of Frenkel pairs increases the thermal stability as the Al diffusion enabled crystallization of the wurtzite solid solution is retarded. This can be rationalized by DFT predictions since the presence of Frenkel pairs increases the activation energy for Al diffusion by up to 142%. Hence, the thermal stability enhancement is caused by a hitherto unreported mechanism - the Frenkel pair impeded Al mobility and thereby retarded formation of wurtzite solid solution.
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The influence of changes induced by ion irradiation on structure and thermal stability of metastable cubic (Ti,Al)N coatings deposited by cathodic arc evaporation is systematically investigated by ...correlating experiments and theory. Decreasing the nitrogen deposition pressure from 5.0 to 0.5 Pa results in an ion flux-enhancement by a factor of three and an increase of the average ion energy from 15 to 30 eV, causing the stress-free lattice parameter to expand from 4.170 to 4.206 Å, while the chemical composition of Ti0.27Al0.21N0.52 remains unchanged. The 0.9% lattice parameter increase is a consequence of formation of Frenkel pairs induced by ion bombardment, as revealed by density functional theory (DFT) simulations. The influence of the presence of Frenkel pairs on the thermal stability of metastable Ti0.27Al0.21N0.52 is investigated by scanning transmission electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, atom probe tomography and in-situ synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction. It is demonstrated that the ion flux and ion energy induced formation of Frenkel pairs increases the thermal stability as the Al diffusion enabled crystallization of the wurtzite solid solution is retarded. This can be rationalized by DFT predictions since the presence of Frenkel pairs increases the activation energy for Al diffusion by up to 142%. Hence, the thermal stability enhancement is caused by a hitherto unreported mechanism - the Frenkel pair impeded Al mobility and thereby retarded formation of wurtzite solid solution.
•Investigation of Al concentration induced changes in phase formation and mechanical properties of Ti0.33-xAlxB0.67 coatings, x = 0.04 to 0.28.•DFT predictions are consistent with measured unit cell ...volume and elastic modulus data.•Passivating oxide scale formation in Ti0.33-xAlxB0.67 with x ≥ 0.21 due to formation of passivating oxide scale.
Stoichiometric Ti0.33-xAlxB0.67 coatings with x = 0.04, 0.15, 0.21, and 0.28 were synthesized by magnetron sputtering and characterized regarding phase formation, mechanical properties, and oxidation behavior. By increasing the Al concentration from 4 to 28 at.%, the measured elastic modulus (496 ± 19 GPa) and unit cell volume (25.646 Å3) decreased by 33 and 0.8 %, respectively. The Al concentration induced changes in measured elastic modulus and unit cell volume are in very good agreement with ab initio predictions, as the maximum deviations between experiment and theory, observed here, are 12 and 1.1 %, respectively. The corresponding hardness values decreased by 45 % from 22 ± 1 to 12 ± 1 GPa.
The oxidation experiments were performed in ambient air at 700, 800, and 900 °C for 1, 4, and 8 h. Analysis by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) revealed a bimodal, strongly Al concentration-dependent oxidation behavior where films containing ≤ 15 at.% of Al form a porous, non-passivating crystalline oxide scale containing Ti-rich as well as Al-rich oxide regions, while the formation of a passivating, dense, X-ray amorphous oxide scale was observed for films containing ≥ 21 at.% of Al. Coincident with the passive scale formation for Al concentrations ≥ 21 at.%, the elastic modulus decreases by ≥ 32.6 % compared to TiB2 and can be rationalized based on Al concentration induced bond weakening as revealed by the concomitant cohesive energy reduction of ≥ 22 %.
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For mechanically dominated load profiles, nitrides are preferred as the base material for structural and functional hard coatings, while oxide-based materials offer better protection against ...high-temperature corrosion (such as oxidation). Thus, when mechanical and thermal loads are combined, the nitrides used should also have excellent stability against temperature and oxidation. How to develop such nitride materials that can withstand both high mechanical and thermal loads is the focus of this review article. This is done primarily with the help of experimental and theoretical investigations of the Ti–Al–N system.
On the basis of transition metal nitride coatings, we discuss important material development guidelines for improved strength, fracture toughness as well as thermal stability and oxidation resistance. Using various superlattice coatings, we further discuss how such nanolamellar microstructures can improve both the strength and fracture toughness of hard coating materials. In addition, other concepts for improving fracture toughness are discussed, with a focus on those that can increase both fracture toughness and hardness.
The individual concepts allow to design materials to meet the ever-growing demand for coatings with a wide range of excellent properties and outstanding property combinations.
Since decades, protective hard coatings with thicknesses of a few micrometers are grown by physical or chemical vapor deposition (PVD, CVD) on cutting tools to improve their application performance. ...For the huge variety of cutting applications, different coating materials are used, which typically belong to the material classes of nitrides, carbides, carbonitrides, borides, boronitrides or oxides, frequently in bi- or multilayer stacks. The present work surveys typical hard coatings belonging to the respective material classes, deposited by PVD as well as CVD. Pioneering studies in this field as well as recent findings contributing to the establishment of comprehensive “synthesis – structure – property – application performance” relationships of the respective coatings are discussed and the current state-of-research is reviewed. Condensed summaries and comparisons between PVD and CVD coatings are given at the end of each subsection. In addition, current and future challenges for the hard coatings community are surveyed.
•Review of the current state-of-research of hard coatings for cutting applications•Advanced characterization methods enable an in-depth insight in coating structure.•Comparison and condensed summaries of properties of coatings grown by PVD and CVD•Different characteristics of PVD and CVD hard coatings highlighted•Survey of current and future challenges for the hard coatings community
The scratch test has been used to assess the adhesion of thin hard coatings for some time now and is a useful tool for coating development or quality assurance. However, the test is influenced by a ...number of intrinsic and extrinsic factors which are not adhesion-related and the results of the test are usually regarded as only semi-quantitative. The stress state around a moving indenter scratching a coating/substrate system is very complex and it is difficult to determine the stresses which lead to detachment. Furthermore, the interfacial defect state responsible for failure is unknown. However, by a careful analysis of the observed failure modes in the scratch test (not all of which are related to adhesion) it is possible to identify adhesive failures and in some cases these occur in regions where the stress state is relatively simple and quantification can be attempted.
Ideally engineers would like a material parameter (such as work of adhesion or interfacial toughness) which can be used in an appropriate model of the coating-substrate system stress state to determine if detachment will occur under the loading conditions experienced in service. This data is not usually available and the development of such models must be seen as a long-term goal. In modern indentation and scratch systems the work of friction (or indentation) can be directly measured and the relationship between this parameter and adhesive failure can be demonstrated in some cases. This paper reviews the main adhesion-related failure modes and the stresses responsible for them and indicates where quantification is possible illustrating this with results from hard coatings on steel, thermally grown oxide scales and optical coatings on glass. The use of empirical calibration studies, directly measured work of friction and quantification by finite element methods is discussed.
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