[en] Multilayer hard coatings of TiCN/TiC/TiN on high speed steel substrates were deposited using a chemical vapor deposition system. Evaluations of microstructure, wear morphology of coatings were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, and optical microscopy. Friction coefficient and wear rates of coatings were investigated using ball-on-disk tester sliding against a WC ball at a constant load of 20 N. Tribological behavior of the coatings at room and elevated temperature were discussed. Different changing tendency of friction coefficient were observed from ball-on-disc experiments. Results showed that the friction coefficient of coatings increased gradually to a highest value, then to a relatively constant value at room temperature dry sliding wear. The friction coefficient exhibited a reverse variation tendency at temperature of 550 °C. It got a higher value at the first sliding friction cycles. Then the value of friction coefficient decreased, suffered irregular oscillations and kept a relatively lower value with increasing sliding time. Reasons of the variation of friction coefficient with sliding time and wear mechanism were analyzed and discussed at room and elevated temperatures, respectively.

[en] Hard Cr-N and silicon doped Cr-Si-N nanocomposite coatings were deposited using closed unbalanced magnetron sputtering ion plating system. Coatings doped with various Si contents were synthesized by changing the power applied on Si targets. Composition of the films was analyzed using glow discharge optical emission spectrometry (GDOES). Microstructure and properties of the coatings were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and nano-indentation. The harnesses and the elastic modulus of Cr-Si-N coatings gradually increased with rising of silicon content and exhibited a maximum at silicon content of 4.1 at.% and 5.5 at.%. The maximum hardness and elastic modulus of the Cr-Si-N nanocomposite coatings were approximately 30 GPa and 352 GPa, respectively. Further increase in the silicon content resulted in a decrease in the hardness and the elastic modulus of the coatings. Results from XRD analyses of CrN coatings indicated that strongly preferred orientations of (111) were detected. The diffraction patterns of Cr-Si-N coatings showed a clear (220) with weak (200) and (311) preferred orientations, but the peak of CrN (111) was decreased with the increase of Si concentration. The XRD data of single-phase Si₃N₄ was free of peak. The peaks of CrN (111) and (220) were shifted slightly and broadened with the increase of silicon content. SEM observations of the sections of Cr-Si-N coatings with different silicon concentrations showed a typical columnar structure. It was evident from TEM observation that nanocomposite Cr-Si-N coatings exhibited nano-scale grain size. Friction coefficient and specific wear rate (SWR) of silicon doped Cr-N coatings from pin-on-disk test were significantly lower in comparison to that of CrN coatings.