Morphology, Structure and Thermal Properties of Multilayer ZrN/CrN Coatings

This research focuses on the characterization of multilayer ZrN/CrN coatings deposited by Arc-PVD technique on steel substrates. Structural and morphological properties of the deposited films are analyzed by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The quantification of crystalline phases in the coatings is obtained by X-ray diffraction. The variations in thermal transformation properties due to annealing within the temperature range from 30°C to 1400°C are studied by differential scanning calorimetry. The gradient films composed of alternating ZrN and CrN layers have different microstructure and elemental composition due to deposition conditions. The average crystalline size ranging from 8 to 12 nm is observed. Critical temperature where the coatings demonstrate different transformation courses is determined about 1180°C.