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Investigation of the Effect of Residual Stress Gradient on the Wear Behavior of PVD Thin Films

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Abstract

The control of residual stresses has been seldom investigated in multilayer coatings dedicated to improvement of wear behavior. Here, we report the preparation and characterization of superposed structures composed of Cr, CrN and CrAlN layers. Nano-multilayers CrN/CrAlN and Cr/CrN/CrAlN were deposited by Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) onto Si (100) and AISI4140 steel substrates. The Cr, CrN and CrAlN monolayers were developed with an innovative approach in PVD coatings technologies corresponding to deposition with different residual stresses levels. Composition and wear tracks morphologies of the coatings were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction and 3D-surface analyzer. The mechanical properties (hardness, residual stresses and wear) were investigated by nanoindentation, interferometry and micro-tribometry (fretting-wear tests). Observations suggest that multilayer coatings are composed mostly of nanocrystalline. The residual stresses level in the films has practically affected all the physicochemical and mechanical properties as well as the wear behavior. Consequently, it is demonstrated that the coating containing moderate stresses has a better wear behavior compared to the coating developed with higher residual stresses. The friction contact between coated samples and alumina balls shows also a large variety of wear mechanisms. In particular, the abrasive wear of the coatings was a combination of plastic deformation, fine microcracking and microspallation. The application of these multilayers will be wood machining of green wood.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Mr. Romain Fliti, Mr. Denis Lagadrillère for experimental support, Pr. Alain Iost and Pr. Luc Imhoff for helpful discussions and collaboration during this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. LR-11-ES19 Laboratoire de Mécanique Appliquée et Ingénierie (LR-MAI), Université de Tunis El Manar, Ecole Nationale d’Ingénieurs de Tunis, 1002, Tunis, Tunisia

    B. Tlili & A. Barkaoui

  2. Arts et Métiers ParisTech - LaBoMaP, Campus Arts et Métiers ParisTech de Cluny, Rue Porte de Paris, 71250, Cluny, France

    C. Nouveau & A. Besnard

  3. CEMEF-Centre de Mise en Forme des Matériaux, CNRS, UMR 7635, CS10207, MINES ParisTech, PSL Research University, 06904, Sophia Antipolis, France

    G. Guillemot

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  1. B. Tlili
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  2. C. Nouveau
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  3. G. Guillemot
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  4. A. Besnard
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  5. A. Barkaoui
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Correspondence to B. Tlili.

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Tlili, B., Nouveau, C., Guillemot, G. et al. Investigation of the Effect of Residual Stress Gradient on the Wear Behavior of PVD Thin Films. J. of Materi Eng and Perform 27, 457–470 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-018-3132-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-018-3132-1

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