The Effect of Bilayer Periods and Their Thickness in Magnetron Sputtering Protective Multilayer Coatings for Tribological Applications

CrN/CrAlN thin films were deposited by DC reactive magnetron sputtering. The influence of bilayer thickness on the microstructure, mechanical, and tribological properties was studied. Crystallinity layers characterized x-ray diffraction. microstructure all coatings observed scanning electron microscopy. Results exhibit that a dominant factor. analyses showed columnar for coatings. Owing to their denser structure interfacial strengthening, multilayer exhibited higher mechanical than monolayers. Indeed, coating with four bilayers gradient reaches maximum hardness around 43 GPa. Also, its resistance spallation 97 N which is very excellent value. After ball-on-disk wear tests, it found good resistance, especially one different CrN CrAlN monolayers thickness. lowest coefficient friction obtained 4 bilayers.