Structure and mechanical properties of a-C/(AlCrWTaTiNb)CxNy composite films

摘要

a-C/(AlCrWTaTiNb) CxNy composite films are deposited by a magnetron sputtering technique using a carbon and mosaic target. The effect of carbon target power on chemical composition, morphology, microstructure and mechanical properties of a-C/(AlCrWTaTiNb) CxNy composite films is investigated. It is found that a multi-element nitride (AlCrWTaTiNb)N-x film prepared without the carbon target demonstrates a triangle shape morphology with two-phase face-centred cubic structure (FCC). The crystallographic structure of the composite films changes into single-phase FCC and the morphology into granular when the carbon target power is in the range of 50-150 W. The preferred orientation of the composited films changes from (220) without the carbon target to (111) introducing carbon atoms. The maximum of micro-hardness and elastic modulus of a-C/(AlCrWTaTiNb) CxNy composite films deposited at 100 W carbon target power are 23 and 290 GPa, respectively. A corresponding H-3/E-2 value reflecting film frictional characteristics also reaches a maximum of 0.147.