Properties of Multicomponent (TiBSiNi + Cr)N Coatings Produced via Vacuum-Arc Deposition with the Assisting Action of Gas-Discharge Plasma

This work presents the results of studying the physical–mechanical and tribological characteristics of vacuum-arc coatings with a multicomponent composition (TiBSiNi + Cr)N, deposited under two variants of the assisting action of gas-discharge plasma ions: using a conventional plasma source with a heated cathode and through a relatively new generation scheme involving beam-plasma formation. A comparison of the results shows a clear advantage of the new synthesis method for the specified coating. For instance, the hardness of the (TiBSiNi + Cr)N coating synthesized using conventional assistance with a plasma source featuring a heated cathode is 29 GPa, whereas the coating synthesized using the beam-plasma generation pattern has a hardness of 39 GPa. Simultaneously, a reduced surface roughness is observed for the coating produced using the beam-plasma generation system, compared to the coating synthesized with conventional assistance. This is evident both in the average deviation of the surface profile Ra and in the parameter for the height of surface irregularities Rz. This difference is likely related to a greater uniformity and integral density of the gas-discharge plasma in the beam-plasma generation mode, and consequently, to the higher effectiveness of its impact on the deposited coating. A significant difference in the tribological properties of the coatings produced by the two assistance methods is also identified. The average values of the friction coefficient and the wear parameter for the coating synthesized using conventional assistance (0.504 and 1.42 × 10–7 mm3 N–1 m–1, respectively) are higher than those for the coating synthesized through the beam-plasma generation scheme (0.434 and 0.99 × 10–7 mm3 N–1 m–1). Moreover, in situ X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that during heating in air, the phase composition of the (TiBSiNi + Cr)N coating produced using the beam-plasma generation scheme remains stable up to a temperature of 1075°C.