Influence of gas mixture on the mechanical and physical properties of CrN coatings obtained by magnetron sputtering method
Rakhadilov B. Muktanova N. Buitkenov D. Turabekov Y. Akhmetova E. Dautbekov M.
2025AIMS Press
AIMS Materials Science
2025#12Issue 61215 - 1240 pp.
This paper investigated the influence of the Ar/N₂ working gas mixture composition on the morphological, structural, mechanical, and corrosion properties of single-layer CrN coatings obtained by reactive magnetron sputtering on E110 zirconium alloy substrates. It was shown that an increase in the N2 fraction in the working gas leads to a sequential compaction of the coating structure, an increase in the degree of nitride formation, and the formation of a more homogeneous cubic CrN phase (Fm-3m), which was confirmed by Grazing-Incidence X-Ray Diffraction data (GI-XRD). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed a transition from a relatively loose morphology at 90/30 sccm to a denser and finer-grained structure at 80/40 sccm. It was established that an increase in the partial pressure of nitrogen contributes to a decrease in surface roughness (Ra from 0.152 to 0.114 µm) and an increase in nanohardness from 4.1 to 6.7 GPa, as well as Young’s modulus from 97 to 110 GPa, associated with the formation of a denser and closer to stoichiometric CrN phase. Electrochemical tests in 3.5% NaCl showed a significant improvement in corrosion resistance; the corrosion current density decreased from 3.82 × 10-6 to 1.73 × 10-6 A/cm2, and the corrosion rate decreased from 0.054 to 0.0024 mm/year.
coatings , CrN , hardness , magnetron sputtering , mechanical properties , phase composition , zirconium alloys
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PlasmaScience LLP, Ust-Kamenogorsk, 070018, Kazakhstan
Research Center “Surface Engineering and Tribology”, Sarsen Amanzholov East Kazakhstan University, Ust-Kamenogorsk, 070000, Kazakhstan
Daulet Serikbaev East Kazakhstan Technical University, Ust-Kamenogorsk, 070002, Kazakhstan
PlasmaScience LLP
Research Center “Surface Engineering and Tribology”
Daulet Serikbaev East Kazakhstan Technical University
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