A comparative study on the structure and properties of TiAlSiN coatings deposited by FCVA and HiPIMS

The TiAlSiN coating has garnered significant interest due to its exceptional hardness, high oxidation resistance temperature, robust film-substrate bond strength, excellent wear resistance, and superior thermal stability. The energetic ion beam technology has emerged as a potent method for fabricating thin films. In this study, TiAlSiN films were deposited utilizing magnetic filtered cathode vacuum arc (FCVA) and high power pulsed magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS), and their respective structures and properties were meticulously investigated and contrasted. Upon comparative analysis, it was observed that the elemental composition of the FCVA films underwent a pronounced change with the same. Depending on the desired film thickness, the deposition rate of the FCVA system was found to be superior over the same duration. The crystallographic structure of the films fabricated by both systems predominantly featured an fcc-(Ti,Al)N phase. Notably, at an N2 flow rate of 40 sccm, the film deposited via HiPIMS demonstrated remarkable hardness (27.04 GPa), an elevated H/E* ratio (0.103), and superior wear resistance (7.24×10−6 mm3/N∙m). The films produced by these two deposition methods exhibited discernible differences and clear trends in hardness, adhesion strength, and tribological properties. This research provides a valuable reference for selecting the most appropriate deposition process and parameters based on the desired attributes of the coatings. •The structures and properties of the films prepared by FCVA and HIPMS were compared.•The films with excellent mechanical properties and friction and wear properties were obtained.•The proportion of elements in the film can be controlled.•The variation trend of the properties of the films with the preparation parameters was obtained.•The reference is provided for selecting different preparation processes and parameters according to the properties of the films.