Effect of deposition temperature on the phase structure, mechanical performance, and corrosion resistance of CrMoN coatings prepared by magnetron sputtering

Marine engineering equipment faces dual challenges of both mechanical friction from internal minerals and chemical corrosion from external seawater. In order to further extend their service life, this study innovatively selected a CrMo alloy target optimized with 10% Mo content and fabricated CrMoN coatings using magnetron sputtering at varying deposition temperatures (100–500 °C). A comprehensive investigation was conducted on the coatings' phase composition, microstructure, mechanical performance, tribology property, and corrosion resistance. The experimental results indicated that variations in deposition temperature modulated the content of the critical phase Mo2N, while simultaneously inducing grain refinement and promoting a denser, smoother surface morphology, which played an important role in synergistically improving the mechanical performance and corrosion resistance of the coatings. Notably, the CrMoN coating deposited at 400 °C possesses the best mechanical performance (HF 1 bonding force, 20.80 GPa in hardness, and 275.82 GPa in modulus), the most excellent tribology property [coefficient of friction 0.417, wear rate 3.55 × 10−6 mm3/(N m)], and the most stable corrosion resistance (corrosion current density 6.40 × 10−9 A/cm2, charge transfer resistance 3.91 × 106 Ω cm2, water contact angle 93.8°). In all, this work establishes a novel technological framework and provides a superior technological solution for the development and application of protective coatings in a harsh marine environment.