Structural and Thermal Stability of CrZrON Coatings Synthesized via Reactive Magnetron Sputtering

This research manuscript investigates the structural and thermal stability of CrZrON coatings synthesized through reactive magnetron sputtering. The coatings were deposited at different temperatures with 120 °C and 400 °C, and with varying oxygen-to-reactive gas ratios in the range of 8.3% to 25.7%. The average chemical composition, crystallographic orientation, microstructure, lattice parameter, crystallite size, and hardness of the coatings were evaluated. The results revealed that the coatings deposited at a lower temperature of 120 °C exhibited a columnar structure, while those deposited at a higher temperature of 400 °C showed a transition towards a featureless or amorphous structure. The lattice parameter and crystallite size were influenced by the deposition temperature and oxygen ratio, indicating the incorporation of oxygen into the coatings. Hardness measurements demonstrated that the coatings’ hardness decreased from 33.7 GPa to 28.6 GPa for a process temperature of 120 °C and from 32.1 GPa to 25.7 GPa for 400 °C with an increase in the oxygen ratio, primarily due to the formation of oxygen-rich compounds or oxides. Additionally, annealing experiments indicated that the coatings with featureless or amorphous structures exhibited improved thermal stability, as they maintained their structural integrity without delamination even at high annealing temperatures.