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Comparative Study on the Influence of Reactive Gas Flow Rate on the Growth and Properties of P-doped TiAlN Coatings Prepared by DcMS and HiPIMS

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Abstract

Understanding the evolution of target composition, hysteresis effect and coatings properties as a function of reactive gas and sputtering techniques in developing new thin film coatings is essential. This research investigation focuses on the influence of reactive nitrogen gas utilized at different flowrate on the hysteresis measurement and properties of TiAlN coatings doped with phosphorous, deposited using direct current magnetron sputtering (DcMS) and high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) techniques. The proportion of nitrogen content required for the transition from metallic to compound region varies with the deposition method as revealed from the hysteresis. The formation of stoichiometric coating was achieved at a lower flow rate of nitrogen in the HiPIMS coating. Dense and columnar structures were noticed in the cross-sectional morphology of the coatings. The XRD diffraction pattern revealed that the preferential orientation of the coatings depends on the nitrogen flow rate and the choice of the deposition techniques. The Raman spectra of the coatings show groups of bands in the acoustic and optical range, with a shift to higher Raman wavelength in the HiPIMS sputtered coatings. The maximum hardness of 28 GPa was found at 6 sccm of nitrogen flowrate of the HiPIMS coating. The optimal corrosion protection resistance for the HiPIMS sputtered coatings was noticed at 8 sccm of nitrogen flowrate. The coefficient of friction of the HiPIMS coating from the scratch test revealed that the CoF decreases with an increase in Nitrogen flowrate until 8 sccm, while the maximum critical load was noticed at 6 sccm.

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Data Availability

The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Funding

The authors would like to acknowledge the financial contribution of OCP.SA Morocco.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Science, Energy and Nano-Engineering, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), Benguerir, Morocco

    Olayinka Oluwatosin Abegunde, Mohammed Makha, Karima Machkih, Anas Ghailane, Hicham Larhlimi, Youssef Samih & Jones Alami

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  1. Olayinka Oluwatosin Abegunde
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  2. Mohammed Makha
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Correspondence to Olayinka Oluwatosin Abegunde.

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Abegunde, O.O., Makha, M., Machkih, K. et al. Comparative Study on the Influence of Reactive Gas Flow Rate on the Growth and Properties of P-doped TiAlN Coatings Prepared by DcMS and HiPIMS. J Bio Tribo Corros 8, 73 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40735-022-00672-2

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