Paper SE-TuP6
The Influence of Mo Content and Bias Potential on the Structure, Mechanical Properties, and Tribological Behaviour of Cathodic Arc Evaporated Ti-Al-N Hard Coatings

Tuesday, October 20, 2015, 6:30 pm, Room Hall 3

Today’s industrial processes, i.e. forming and shaping of various materials, require efficiency and precision. Therefore, wear and friction are core topics in the continuous improvement process. Coating either one of the counter-bodies or both of them with, for example, Ti-Al-N can be a feasible solution for fitting these certain requirements of the tribological conditions within industrial processes. Powder metallurgical manufacturing is ideal to produce materials with a broad composition and/or to alloy further elements to a standard target composition—i.e. to alter the properties of Ti_1-xAl_xN thin films. This study focuses on the influence of bias potential and alloying element content on phase formation, mechanical properties, and tribological behaviour of cathodic arc evaporated (Ti_0.5Al_0.5)_1-xMo_xN hard protective coatings. The tribological behaviour of the coatings obtained by using this physical vapour deposition (PVD) technique were evaluated by means of pin-on-disc tests and by non-contact optical profilometry—where the development of the wear tracks and counter-bodies is investigated. Scanning electron microscopy in combination with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction experiments are performed to establish the chemical and structure evolution of our (Ti_0.5Al_0.5)_1-xMo_xN thin films deposited with various bias potentials. It can be shown that the tribological behaviour of Ti-Al-N coatings can significantly be enhanced by the development of (Ti_0.5Al_0.5)_1-xMo_xN thin films.