Developing High Y Content TiAlYN Coatings: Structure and Adaptive Tribological Behavior

The increasing demand for protective coatings, especially when utilised for industrial applications, triggers intensive studies to enhance wear resistance, thermo-chemical stability, and service lifetime of well-popular TiAIN-based coatings. In this paper, the TiAIYN coatings with yttrium content (2-4 at%) have been deposited by cathodic are evaporation technique. The addition of yttrium does not alter the phase structure of the coatings, which is a mixture of cubic structures TiN and TiAlN. The preferred orientation is strong in (111). However, yttrium slightly increases the lattice parameter, it indicates the dilatation of the lattice in the growth direction. The TiAIY(4 at%)N coating exhibits improved mechanical (hardness $31.2 \pm 0.7 \mathrm{GPa}$, elastic modulus $396.3 \pm 19.6 \quad \mathrm{GPa})$ and tribological properties ($\mathrm{COF}=0.45-0.5$) compared to the Y-free and Y-2 at % coatings due to formation of nanostructure and stable cubic phase.