Influence of microstructure and mechanical properties on the wear behavior of reactive arc deposited Zr-Si-N coatings

• Zr-Si-N coatings were grown over WC-Co substrates by an industrial reactive arc deposition technique. Si content of the coatings was varied between 0.2 and 6.3 at. % to cause a microstructural transition from a columnar to an equiaxed nanocomposite microstructure resulting in alterations of the mechanical properties such as hardness, elastic modulus, and fracture resistance. A reciprocating sliding wear test with a counter material of WC-Co shows a systematic change in wear rate as a function of Si content of the coatings. A maximum wear rate of 1.4x10-5 mm3/Nm is seen for the coating with 1.8 at. % Si (columnar microstructure), which then gradually decreases to 0.6x10-5 mm3/Nm at 6.3 at. % Si (nanocomposite structure). Electron microscopy observations of the wear track reveal tribooxidation as the dominating wear mode. The growth rate of the tribo-oxide layer is the wear rate determining mechanism. Higher growth rate of tribo-oxide layer in the columnar structured coating leads to layer delamination and high wear rate. While the lower growth rate of tribo-oxide layer in the nanocomposite coating results in reduced wear rate of the coatings. Nanocomposite coatings show superior resistance to both static and tribo-oxidation compared to the columnar structured coatings.

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