Characterization of Me (SiCN) Hard Coatings (Me = Transition Metals) and Their Effect on Improving Substrate Performances

Industrial equipment's lifetime and efficiency depend mainly on its structures and performances in the harsh conditions of aggressive environments. Therefore, the protection of the equipment's surface is significant. In recent decades, multi-component hard coatings have been highly regarded in scientific and industrial communities. Different types of transition metal-based multi-component coatings, such as coatings based on chromium, titanium, and refractory metals, have been widely used as protective coatings. However, other components of these coatings (such as carbon, nitrogen, and silicon), surface morphology, and grain size will play essential roles in their properties and applications. For example, two-component transition-metal nitride coatings can not be used in abrasion conditions, while transition-metal carbide coatings are a significant candidate. However, three-component transition-metal Carbonitride coatings can provide better mechanical properties and tribological performances than Two-component coatings. On the other hand, some properties of transition metal-based coatings, such as oxidation resistance, residual stress, and frictional performance, can be significantly improved by doping silicon (Si).