In this master's thesis, we investigated multilayer hard protective coatings of the type CrN/(Cr,V)N/VN, deposited using the physical vapor deposition technique. The aim of the thesis was to analyse the effect of vanadium content on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and high-temperature tribological behaviour of the deposited multilayer coatings.
The multilayer coatings were prepared by magnetron sputtering, using two segmented Cr/V targets and one target each of chromium and vanadium. By employing segmented targets and placing the samples at different heights within the vacuum chamber, it was possible to produce coatings with varying vanadium and chromium contents within a single deposition process. After deposition, the coating thickness was determined using a ball cratering method, while surface topography was characterized using a contact profilometer and an atomic force microscope. The mechanical properties after deposition were evaluated by nanoindentation, while the tribological properties were analysed at room temperature and at elevated temperatures of 300, 600, and 700 °C. The crystal structure of the coatings was examined using X-ray diffraction, both after deposition and following high-temperature tribological testing.
The results showed that the vanadium content in the coating decreases linearly with the sample height on the holder in the vacuum chamber. The vanadium content in the coating significantly affected the overall thickness of the multilayer coating, which decreased with increasing vanadium content, accompanied by simultaneous changes in its topographical features. A higher vanadium content also contributed to an increase in the lattice parameter and influenced the crystallographic orientation of the coating. Furthermore, the addition of vanadium improved the mechanical properties of the coating. Tribological tests demonstrated that the coefficient of friction decreased with increasing temperature, primarily due to the formation of the lubricious Magnéli phase V2O5. Although it was found that the vanadium content itself does not have a decisive effect on the coefficient of friction, it plays an important role in enhancing the coating’s stability under high-temperature tribological conditions.
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