Evaluating the corrosion and tribological performance of nanostructured CrN/TiN and TiN/CrN configurations applied on 410 stainless steel

This study aims to compare the corrosion and tribological performance of TiN/CrN and CrN/TiN nanostructured multi-layer coatings deposited through cathodic arc evaporation PVD on 410-grade stainless steel. Both coating configurations were available in smooth (polished) and rough states. For the deposition of multi-layer coatings, a middle layer containing Cr and CrN was deposited to the substrate, followed by alternating nanolayers of TiN and CrN. finally, an upper layer of either CrN or TiN was applied. The nanoindentation test revealed that the hardness, Young's modulus, H/E, and H3/E2 ratios of the coating with a TiN upper layer were 5.57, 1.42, 3.86, and 85.39 times of the substrate, respectively. At the coating with CrN upper layer, these values were 4.04, 1.13, 3.53, and 51.68 times of the substrate, respectively. Results showed that increasing the H/E and H3/E2 ratios increased wear resistance. Wear rates of smooth and rough TiN coatings and smooth and rough CrN coatings were reduced by 86%, 99%, 53%, and 26%, respectively, compared to the substrate. Results of the corrosion test showed that the rough CrN coating had greater corrosion resistance than the coating with a TiN upper layer and the substrate due to its higher hydrophobicity.