Micromechanical Properties and Tribological Performance of Mo, Cr, and Ta Coatings Obtained by Cathodic Arc-Deposition

The aim of the study is a comparative analysis of micromechanical and microtribological properties of the cathodic arc-deposited Mo, Cr, and Ta coatings using nanoindentation and scratch test techniques as well as a microtribological dry sliding test with wear tracks post-examination and worn volume determination using interference profilometry. A new scratch test technique based on the statistical processing of registered sclerograms during a multi-pass scratch test well adopted for the scratch resistance assessment of rough surfaces is suggested. New approaches to microtribological testing based on the indentation tester equipped with an additional precision rotational stage are proposed, which could fill the gap between macro- and nano-scale. X-ray diffraction analysis reveals the structure of the studied coatings and phase compositions of the coating-substrate interface.