THE INFLUENCE OF A HEAT-TREATMENT ON THE MICROSTRUCTURE AND MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES OF SPUTTERED COATINGS

The aim of this paper was to examine correlations between deposition p arameters and the coating properties of RF-sputtered films in depositi on conditions and after heat treatment at temperatures up to 700 degre es C. The investigations deal with titanium-, chromium- and hafnium-ba sed nitrides, borides and ternary alloys. Different materials such as SAE 52100 steel, ASP 23 highspeed steel and Ti6Al4V titanium alloy, wh ich are commonly used in the aerospace industry, were coated to analys e the influence of the substrate material. The coatings were tested wi th respect to their phase composition, microstructure, residual stress , thickness, microhardness and adhesion. It is shown that the depositi on parameters, as well as heat treatment at a temperature as low as 40 0 degrees C, can change considerably the coating properties. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.