Journal article
Factors governing the mechanical behaviour of CrSiN coatings: Combined nanoindentation testing and transmission electron microscopy
Materials Science and Engineering: A, Vol.534, pp.297-308
2012
Abstract
A direct link between the microstructure and mechanical properties of CrSiN coatings with varying Si contents
was established by examining their microstructural evolution and deformation behaviour, enabled
by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. A transformation from a columnar-grained structure,
in the binary compound, to a nanocomposite structure, consisting of CrN nanocrystallites embedded
in an amorphous matrix, was observed in the coating having a Si content of 28.5 at.%. The columnarstructured
coatings were observed to deform by grain boundary shear sliding, whilst cracks occurred
in nanocomposite coatings. Moreover, the coating having a Si content of 14.3 at.% exhibited the highest
hardness as a result of grain boundary strengthening facilitated by Si3N4 segregation, together with solid
solution strengthening of Si in CrN, the Hall–Petch effect for the finer CrN grains and a high compressive
residual stress. A further increase of Si content to 28.5 at.% led to a reduction in hardness due to the high
volume fraction of the amorphous phase, together with the presence of cracks in the as-deposited coating.
The findings provide deeper insight into the origin of the mechanical behaviour of CrSiN coatings.
Details
- Title
- Factors governing the mechanical behaviour of CrSiN coatings: Combined nanoindentation testing and transmission electron microscopy
- Authors/Creators
- P.C. Wo (Author/Creator) - UNSW SydneyP.R. Munroe (Author/Creator) - UNSW SydneyZ. Li (Author/Creator) - Southeast UniversityZ-T Jiang (Author/Creator) - Murdoch UniversityZ.H. Xie (Author/Creator) - Edith Cowan UniversityZ.F. Zhou (Author/Creator) - City University of Hong KongK.Y. Li (Author/Creator) - City University of Hong Kong
- Publication Details
- Materials Science and Engineering: A, Vol.534, pp.297-308
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Identifiers
- 991005544494107891
- Copyright
- © 2011 Elsevier B.V.
- Murdoch Affiliation
- School of Engineering and Energy
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Citation topics
- 5 Physics
- 5.188 Deposition, Hardening & Coating
- 5.188.318 Nitride Coatings
- Web Of Science research areas
- Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
- Metallurgy & Metallurgical Engineering
- Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
- ESI research areas
- Materials Science