Tribological Characteristics of Multilayer TiN/TiCN Coatings Compared to TiN Coatings
Kenzhaliyev B. Kenzhegulov A. Mamaeva A. Panichkin A. Kshibekova B. Alibekov Z. Fischer D.
November 2025Springer
Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance
2025#34Issue 2125810 - 25819 pp.
Multilayer coatings based on titanium carbonitride compounds exhibit high wear resistance and a low coefficient of friction, and the study of their properties is currently an active area of research. In this study, TiN and TiN/TiCN coatings were deposited on steel substrates at room temperature via direct current magnetron sputtering, with a thickness of approximately 4 µm. The surface morphology, thickness, and elemental and phase composition of the coatings were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and x-ray diffraction. Tribological properties were evaluated through a “ball-on-disk” wear test, with friction coefficient and wear rate measurements. Nanoindentation methods were used to determine the nanohardness and Youngs modulus. Wear resistance tests were conducted in ambient atmosphere under a constant load of 2 N, with a counterbody of 100Cr6 steel ball. The wear test results demonstrated that the multilayer coating consisting of two layers of TiN and TiCN exhibited a significantly lower coefficient of friction (0.24) and wear rate (down to 8.16 × 10-7 mm3/(m·N)), which is attributed to the improved load distribution and reduced adhesive friction due to the presence of the TiCN layer. This study highlights the potential of TiN/TiCN multilayer coatings for advanced tribological systems, offering superior performance compared to conventional monolayer TiN coatings.
friction coefficient , magnetron sputtering , multilayer coating , nanohardness , titanium carbonitride (TiCN) , titanium nitride (TiN) , wear resistance
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The Institute of Metallurgy and Ore Beneficiation, Satbayev University, Almaty, 050013, Kazakhstan
The Institute of Metallurgy and Ore Beneficiation
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