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Structure and Tribological Characteristics of TiAlN Coatings with In, Sn, and Pb Additions

  • ADVANCED MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGIES
  • Published:
Russian Metallurgy (Metally) Aims and scope

Abstract

The structure and tribological characteristics of 1-μm-thick TiAlN-based coatings with soft metal additions (In, Sn, Pb), which are prepared by reactive magnetron sputtering of separated cathodes, are studied. The coatings are found to have a columnar nanocrystalline composite structure. The AlxTi1 – xN, In(Sn) solid solution, Pb, and PbO phases are found in the coatings. The microhardness of the coatings is 280–382 HV. Under reciprocating motion conditions at room temperature, the minimum friction coefficient (μ ≈ 0.20) and high stability of tribological characteristics are achieved for a TiAlN–InSn coating with the atomic ratio Al/(Al + Ti) = 0.53. As the test temperature increases to 100 or 200°C, the wear of the coating and the transfer of the counterbody material decrease; which is related to the presence of the AlxTi1–xN phase with a wurtzite structure characterized by a low shear strength.

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Abbreviations

Q Ar and Q N :

the argon and nitrogen gas flow, respectively

I Ti, I Cu, I In–Sn, I Al :

discharge current of corresponding magnetrons

P Ar :

argon pressure

n :

number of test cycles

μ:

friction coefficient

F :

power source frequency

EMPA:

electron microprobe analysis

SEM:

scanning electron microscopy

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Funding

The study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, project no. 22-19-00754.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Moscow Aviation Institute (National Research University), 125993, Moscow, Russia

    A. A. Lozovan, S. V. Savushkina, S. Ya. Betsofen, M. A. Lyakhovetskii, I. A. Nikolaev & E. Yu. Zhukov

  2. AO Keldysh State Research Center, 125438, Moscow, Russia

    E. A. Danilina

Authors
  1. A. A. Lozovan
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  2. S. V. Savushkina
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  3. S. Ya. Betsofen
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  4. M. A. Lyakhovetskii
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  6. E. Yu. Zhukov
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Correspondence to S. V. Savushkina.

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Translated by N. Kolchugina

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Lozovan, A.A., Savushkina, S.V., Betsofen, S.Y. et al. Structure and Tribological Characteristics of TiAlN Coatings with In, Sn, and Pb Additions. Russ. Metall. 2024, 1105–1112 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0036029524702082

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0036029524702082

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