Abstract
Ceramic coatings of multi-functional nanocomposite for the structural application are introduced in this presentation. Design and syntheses of those coatings based on not only superhardness but also low friction coefficient were conducted for the multi-component materials system. For example, various ternary, quaternary and quinary nano-structured coatings in the (Ti, Cr, Mo, Al, Si)-(B, C, N) system are compared in sense of superhardness as well as properties of corrosion, oxidation, friction etc. MeN/soft Me (Me = metal) system, e.g., MoN/Cu film were examined for low friction application. Co-deposition nitride/carbide of transition metals together with the SiNx, SiC, BN, or soft metals resulted in formation of nanocomposite coatings and led to superhardness, high thermal stability, and low-friction coefficients, etc. Also, several plasma-assisted vapor processes, such as plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition, hybrid coating system of arc ion plating and magnetron sputtering, high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS) were utilized to synthesize new materials having multifunctional properties by modifying their chemical compositions and microstructure. New HIPIMS+ techniques possess combining merits of magnetron sputtering and arc plasma show great potentials on depositing multi-functional hard coatings. Mn+1AXn (abbreviated as MAX, where M is an early transition metal, A is an IIIA- or IVA- group element, and X is C or N) phases are a family of nanolaminated compounds. The MAX-phase coatings exhibited high oxidation resistance. We are investigating the potential of MAX-phase on Ti and Ti-Al alloys as protective coatings.
