Microstructures and Mechanical Properties of CrN Coatings Deposited by HIPIMS

Abstract:

CrN coatings have been widely used in many industrial fields, such as cutting tools, moulds, mechanical components. In this work, CrN coatings were deposited using a high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS) with various negative bias voltages. The composition, microstructure, and mechanical properties of the coatings were studied using X-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and nanoindenter. The cutting performance of the micro drills coated in CrN was also investigated by high speeding dry drilling printed circuit board (PCB). The results show that the bias voltage has significant influences on the microstructure and properties of the as-deposited films. Increasing negative bias voltages resulted in the microstructures refining of the CrN coatings with columnar grains. Further increasing the negative bias voltage caused the formation of defects in CrN. With optimization of the negative bias voltage, the micro-drills with CrN deposited by HIPIMS exhibited an excellent tool life comparing with the uncoated one.

• Periodical: Materials Science Forum (Volumes 836-837)
• Pages: 234-241
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.836-837.234
• Online since: January 2016
• Authors: Long Sheng Fu, Wei Dai*, Qi Min Wang, Kun Zeng
• Keywords: CrN Coatings, Drilling Performance, HiPIMS, Microstructure

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