Nanostructure transition: From solid solution Ti(N,C) to nanocomposite nc-Ti(N,C)/a-(C,CN{sub x})

Journal Article · Mon May 28 04:00:00 EDT 2007 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2745261· OSTI ID:20971943

Lu, Y H; Shen, Y G ^[1]

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1. Department of Manufacturing Engineering and Engineering Management, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong (China)

A nanostructure transition from solid solution (SS) Ti(N,C) to two-phase nanocrystalline (nc)-Ti(N,C)/amorphous (a)-(C,CN{sub x}) thin films was investigated using a combination of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The finding of the authors is that such a nanostructure transition was strongly controlled by the relative atomic ratio x[x{identical_to}(C+N)/Ti]. The results indicated that SS Ti(N,C) and uncompleted and completed segregated two-phase nanocomposite nc-Ti(N,C)/a-(C,CN{sub x}) were successively formed at x{<=}1.0, 1.0<x<1.2, and x{>=}1.2, respectively. Increase of the x values not only decreased the grain size and promoted the formation of more [200]-oriented nanocrystallites but also produced more disorders and defects in thin films. A maximum hardness was achieved for a SS Ti(N,C) structure at x=1.0. The corresponding nanostructure transition mechanism is also discussed.

• OSTI ID: 20971943
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters Journal Issue: 22 Vol. 90; ISSN APPLAB; ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
AMORPHOUS STATE
CARBON
CARBON COMPOUNDS
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
CRYSTALS
GRAIN SIZE
HARDNESS
NANOSTRUCTURES
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
SEGREGATION
SOLID SOLUTIONS
THIN FILMS
TITANIUM COMPOUNDS
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY