Cathodic Arc Deposited CrAlSiN Coatings by Pulsed Current Input

Abstract

Cathodic arc deposition technique is one of the green processes of the physical vapor deposition (PVD) systems. In this study, Cr and CrAlSi dual metal targets were used in order to synthesize CrAlSiN coatings. By using the cathodic arc pulsed current techniques, three different settings of pulsed current duty cycles were used. The microstructure of the coatings observed by XRD analysis shows all the coatings are B1-Rock salt structure with diffraction peaks of (111) and (200). The pulsed current input as compared to the constant current had presented the higher hardness up HV3771. Corrosion test by polarization method shows the best corrosion resistance of the CrAlSiN was achieved by pulsed current input at high cycle time.