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Self‐Organized Nanostructures in Hard Ceramic Coatings
Author(s) -
Mayrhofer P. H.,
Mitterer C.,
Clemens H.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
advanced engineering materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.938
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 1527-2648
pISSN - 1438-1656
DOI - 10.1002/adem.200500154
Subject(s) - materials science , nanostructure , tin , annealing (glass) , ceramic , nanotechnology , metallurgy , chemical engineering , composite material , engineering
Nanostructures have attracted increasing interest in modern development of hard coatings for wear‐resistant applications. In plasma‐assisted vapor deposited thin films, nanostructures can evolve during growth or a post‐deposition annealing treatment. In this review we demonstrate, using TiB 2.4 , TiN–TiB 2 , Ti 0.34 Al 0.66 N, and Ti(N,B) as model‐coatings, the development of nanostructures and its influence on the mechanical properties of ceramic thin films. For TiB 2.4 and TiN–TiB 2 a two‐dimensional and three‐dimensional nanostructure, respectively, organizes itself during growth by segregation driven processes. Growth of Ti 0.34 Al 0.66 N and Ti(N,B) results in the formation of a supersaturated TiN based phase, which tends to decompose into its stable constituents during post‐deposition annealing via the formation of nm‐sized domains. As the hardness of a material is determined by resistance to bond distortion and dislocation formation and motion, which depend on the amount and constitution of obstacles provided, there is a direct relation between hardness and nanostructure.