Modification of Surface Properties of Corrosion-Protective Molds by CrN Coatings Deposited with ICP Assisted Magnetron Sputtering

摘要

Nanocrystalline CrN coatings, used in surface-modified die casting molds were prepared using direct current (DC)- and inductively coupled plasma (ICP)-assisted magnetron sputtering. The applied ICP power was varied from 0 to 300 W. The nano-grain size and surface roughness of the ICP-assisted coatings decreased when the ICP power was increased, while the corrosion resistance and mechanical properties of CrN coatings increased. We present details of the coatings (e.g., grain size, surface roughness, corrosion resistance and hardness). Our studies show that CrN coatings with superior properties can be prepared using ICP-assisted sputtering.