Nanostructured and mechanical properties of high-entropy alloy nitride films prepared by magnetron sputtering at different substrate temperatures

(AlCrNbSiTiV)N high-entropy alloy (HEA) nitride coatings have been grown on cermet tools inserts and glass substrates. Using reactive direct current magnetron sputtering with an equimolar AlCrNbSiTiV HEA target and Ar plasma and N2 reactive gases. In this study, the influence of (AlCrNbSiTiV)N coatings varied substrate temperature (room, 100, 200, 300, 400°C), on the structure, mechanical properties and cutting performance of the cermet cutting tools was investigated in dry machining of a SCM440 steel. The (AlCrNbSiTiV)N films coated was homogeneous, very compact and shows good adhesion strength (classified as HF1). The TEM image results indicate that the (AlCrNbSiTiV)N films are simple face-centre-cubic structures. As the substrate temperature increases, the films hardness increases, reaching the maximum value of 2493 HV at 100°C, and then decreases with further increase in the substrate temperature. The cutting performance improves when coated tools are used. The machined surface with the coated tool using a substrate temperature 100°C deposition parameters, show less surface defects and the tool flank wear is reduced.