Hard and Soft Multilayered SiCN Nanocoatings with High Hardness and Toughness

Abstract EN

Alternate hard and soft layers increase deformation accommodation as thin hard layers slide relative to each other due to shear deformation of low modulus layers.

However, the processing of such multilayers is challenging.

In the present paper the alternating soft and hard multilayered SiCN coating deposited by magnetron sputtering has been studied and presented.

A hardness and modulus of 37 GPa and 317 GPa with elastic recovery of 62% are achieved by alternate hard and soft layer of Si–C–N by magnetron sputtering.

The trilayer films sustained even 2000 gf under indentation without failure though substrate plastically deformed.

The fracture toughness value KIC was measured to be 9.5–10 MPa m1/2, significantly higher than many reported hard coatings.