Nanocomposite Nanomaterials

Structure and Mechanical Properties of Superhard Multilayer Coatings (TiAlСrY)N/Zr and (TiAlСrY)N/ZrN
Srebniuk P.A.1, Beresnev V.M.1, Lytovchenko S.V., Horokh D.V., 
Stolbovoy V.A.2
1 V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, 4, Svobody Sq., 61022 Kharkiv, Ukraine. 
E-mail: senteres@ukr.net
2 National Science Center «Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology»,  1, Akademichna Str., 61108 Kharkiv, Ukraine.

The рареr describes the mechanisms formation, structural and phase  compositions and the mechanical properties of the superhard multilayer coatings (TiAlСrY)N/Zr and (TiAlСrY)N/ZrN.
Coatings were obtained by the vacuum-arc method from two targets obtained by the EBT method. Analysis of samples (TiAlCrY)N/ZrN with layer-by-layer sputtering and different numbers of layers showed the presence of two nitrides with an FCC lattice (ZrN and TiAlCrYN) in all samples. Investigations of elemental composition of the coatings were carried out. It was found that with an increase in the partial pressure of nitrogen. The nitrogen content in both types of coatings is close to 50 at.%, i.e. to the stoichiometric composition. It was revealed that an increase in the partial pressure of nitrogen in the chamber increases its content in the coatings, which increases their hardness. 
It was found that the layered structure of both types of coatings has a high density and a good degree of laminariness. Coatings with a double modulation period showed a high hardness value of 68.2 GPa, which is not typical of conventional nitride coatings. Reducing the thickness of the layers in the coatings leads to a decrease in the size of the OCD, which, in turn, increases the adhesive strength of the coatings. Changing the thickness of the layers, however, does not significantly affect the parameters and the level of microstrain of the crystal lattices of the coating material.