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Thermal Stability and Oxidation Resistance of Nanocomposite TiC/a‐C Protective Coatings
Author(s) -
MartínezMartínez Diego,
LópezCartés Carlos,
Gago Raúl,
Fernández Asunción,
SánchezLópez Juan Carlos
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
plasma processes and polymers
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.644
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1612-8869
pISSN - 1612-8850
DOI - 10.1002/ppap.200931002
Subject(s) - nanocomposite , materials science , oxidizing agent , thermal stability , coating , lubricant , crystallite , amorphous solid , microstructure , tribology , composite material , oxygen , ultra high vacuum , chemical engineering , metallurgy , nanotechnology , chemistry , organic chemistry , engineering
Nanocomposite films composed by small crystallites of hard phases embedded in an amorphous lubricant matrix have been extensively studied as protective coatings. These kinds of coatings have often to work in extreme environments, exposed to high temperatures (above 800–900 °C), and/or oxidizing/corrosive atmospheres, which may resist. As a result, it is important to study the behavior of such coatings at high temperatures (thermal stability) and in the presence of oxygen (oxidation resistance). In this sense, we have selected a TiC/a‐C nanocomposite coating with good mechanical and tribological properties in order to do several thermal tests under three different environments: high vacuum (10 −6 mbar), low vacuum (10 −1 mbar), and air. Our observations allow us to establish that the film microstructure is stable at least up to 1 000 °C in high vacuum. When oxygen is present, the practical temperature of use is reduced at 700 °C (low partial pressure) and 300 °C (air) by formation of Ti oxides and C removal.