Comparison of Properties of the ZrN Mononitride Coating and (Zr + Ti–B–Si–Ni)N Multicomponent Coating Obtained by Vacuum-Arc Plasma-Assisted Deposition

The paper presents the results of comparative study of the mechanical properties and heat resistance of a zirconium nitride mononitride coating and a multicomponent coating obtained by sequential and simultaneous deposition of zirconium and multicomponent cathode (titanium, boron, silicon, and nickel) in a nitrogen-containing medium. Multicomponent cathode was fabricated by self-propagating high-temperature synthesis with simultaneous pressing. The coatings were deposited on the hard alloy VK8 by the vacuum-arc plasma-assisted method. Material science studies of coatings included: measuring the thickness of coatings by calo testing, evaluating the adhesion strength of a coating to a substrate by the Rockwell method and scratch testing, measuring hardness before and after high-temperature annealing in air at a temperature of 700°C for 60 min, X-ray phase analysis of coatings before and after high-temperature annealing. Multicomponent coating (Zr + Ti–B–Si–Ni)N was also investigated for heat resistance in real time by X-ray phase analysis using synchrotron radiation. The adhesive strength of the multicomponent coating (Zr + Ti–B–Si–Ni)N satisfies the generally accepted quality requirements for vacuum-arc coatings. The residual hardness of the multicomponent coating (Zr + Ti–B–Si–Ni)N after high-temperature annealing significantly and noticeably exceeds the hardness of the ZrN coating after annealing. Data of X-ray phase analysis confirm the high heat resistance of the multicomponent coating (Zr + Ti–B–Si–Ni)N, which, together with the results of mechanical tests, allows us to conclude that it is promising for practical purposes.