Erosion Performance of TiN/Ti Coatings under Different Nitrogen Flow Rates

This study employed magnetic filtered cathodic vacuum arc deposition to fabricate TiN/Ti multilayer coatings, examining the impact of nitrogen flow rates—4, 8, 12, and 16 sccm—on their performance, with an emphasis on gradient flow rates from 4 to 12 sccm. The coatings’ phase composition shifted from TiN0.26 to a Ti2N and TiN composite, optimizing the microstructure and significantly increasing the hardness to 24.37 GPa and the elastic modulus to 219.84 GPa at the 16 sccm rate. The surface roughness reduction further improved erosion resistance. Coatings made under gradient flow exhibited reduced mass loss and an erosion rate of 0.07 mg·g−1, outperforming single flow rates. Erosion failure analysis highlighted that while 12 sccm coatings failed due to extensive crack interconnection, 16 sccm coatings showed spalling from crack expansion. Gradient flow coatings, despite the presence of a crack, demonstrated a more confined damage area and enhanced erosion resistance, indicating the benefits of varied nitrogen flow rates in coating optimization.