Microstructural characterisation of nanocomposite nc-MeC/a-C coatings on oxygen hardened Ti-6Al-4V alloy

Journal Article · Fri Oct 15 00:00:00 EDT 2010 · Materials Characterization

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.MATCHAR.2010.06.005· OSTI ID:22066220

Moskalewicz, T ^[1]; Wendler, B ^[2]; Czyrska-Filemonowicz, A ^[1]

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1. AGH University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Metals Engineering and Industrial Computer Science, 30-059 Krakow, Al. Mickiewicza 30 (Poland)
2. Technical University of Lodz, Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, PL-90 924 Lodz, ul. Stefanowskiego 1 (Poland)

Nanocomposite coatings are novel, important systems composed of two or more nanocrystalline, or nanocrystalline and amorphous, phases. Such coatings offer a possibility of tailoring the coating microstructure and achieving new improved properties of coated materials. In this work a duplex surface treatment, consisting of an oxygen diffusion treatment and deposition of low friction nanocomposite nc-MeC/a-C (Me = transition metal, Ti, W or Cr) coatings, was applied for improvement of the Ti-6Al-4V alloy properties. The coatings composed of nanocrystallites of transition metal carbides (TiC or Cr{sub x}C{sub y} or WC) embedded in hydrogen-free amorphous carbon (a-C) matrix were deposited onto the surface of an oxygen hardened Ti-6Al-4 V alloy substrate by means of a simple DC magnetron sputtering. A nano/microstructure of the substrate material and coatings has been examined by scanning- and transmission electron microscopy complemented with the results of X-ray diffraction analyses. It was found that the nanocomposite coatings are composed of different carbide nanocrystals (with sizes of a few nanometres) embedded in an amorphous carbon matrix. The results of qualitative and quantitative analyses of the nanocrystalline phase in the coatings with use of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy combined with image analysis are given in the paper. An effect of the nano/microstructure parameters of the coated alloy onto its micro-mechanical (nanohardness and Young's modulus) and tribological properties (wear resistance and friction coefficient) is discussed in the paper.

• OSTI ID: 22066220
• Journal Information: Materials Characterization, Vol. 61, Issue 10; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1044-5803
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
ALUMINIUM ALLOYS
AMORPHOUS STATE
CARBON
COATINGS
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
DIFFUSION
MATRIX MATERIALS
MICROSTRUCTURE
NANOSTRUCTURES
OXYGEN
SUBSTRATES
SURFACE TREATMENTS
TITANIUM BASE ALLOYS
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
TUNGSTEN CARBIDES
VANADIUM ALLOYS
WEAR RESISTANCE
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
YOUNG MODULUS