Microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti–B–C–N–Si nanocomposite films deposited by unbalanced magnetron sputtering

Journal Article · Fri Nov 15 00:00:00 EST 2013 · Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, Vacuum, Surfaces and Films

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1116/1.4815952· OSTI ID:22224110

Jang, Jaeho; An, Eunsol; Park, In-Wook; Nam, Dae-Geun ^[1]; Jo, Ilguk; Lin, Jianliang; Moore, John J. ^[2]; Ho Kim, Kwang; Park, Ikmin ^[3]

---

1. Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH), Busan, 618-230 (Korea, Republic of)
2. Advanced Coatings and Surface Engineering Laboratory (ACSEL), Colorado School of Mines, 1500 Illinois St., Golden, Colorado 80401 (United States)
3. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan, 609-735 (Korea, Republic of)

Quinary Ti–B–C–N–Si nanocomposite thin films were deposited on AISI 304 stainless steel substrates by d.c. unbalanced magnetron sputtering from a TiB{sub 2}–TiC compound target and a pure Si target. The relationship between microstructure and mechanical properties of the films was investigated in terms of the nanosized crystallites/amorphous system. The synthesized Ti–B–C–N–Si films were characterized using x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that the Ti–B–C–N–Si films were nanocomposites composed of nanosized TiB{sub 2}, TiC, and TiSi{sub 2} crystallites (2-3 nm in size) embedded in an amorphous matrix. The addition of Si to the Ti–B–C–N film led to precipitation of nanosized crystalline TiSi{sub 2} and percolation of amorphous SiC phases. The Ti–B–C–N–Si films with up to 7 at. % Si content presented high hardness (≥35 GPa), H/E (≥0.0095), and W{sub e} (>50%) with compressive residual stress (∼0.5 GPa). A systematic investigation on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti–B–C–N–Si films containing different Si contents is reported.

• OSTI ID: 22224110
• Journal Information: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, Vacuum, Surfaces and Films, Vol. 31, Issue 6; Other Information: (c) 2013 American Vacuum Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0734-2101
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
COMPRESSION STRENGTH
HARDNESS
MAGNETRONS
MICROSTRUCTURE
NANOSTRUCTURES
PRECIPITATION
PRESSURE RANGE GIGA PA
RESIDUAL STRESSES
SILICON CARBIDES
SPUTTERING
STAINLESS STEELS
THIN FILMS
TITANIUM
TITANIUM SILICIDES
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY