Controllable stress-adsorbed layers in Ti/TiN/TiAlN coatings: Mechanical performance and micropillar compression

Solid particle erosion often compromises the durability of turbine engine blades, particularly those used in offshore and desert environments. Surface protective coatings have emerged as a promising solution to significantly enhance the erosion resistance of compressor blades. In this study, TiAlN multilayer coatings were deposited onto Ti-6Al-4V substrates using a vacuum arc deposition technique. The article explored the strategic incorporation of TiN-Ti-TiN stress-adsorbed layers (SALs) within TiAlN-based coatings. It also investigated the microscale mechanisms leading to coating failure under conditions of micropillar compression. The findings revealed that the presence of metal/ceramic interfaces significantly improved the adhesion strength, crack resistance, erosion resistance and fracture toughness of the coatings. The multilayer deformation behavior of the coatings was primarily determined by the plastic flow of the softer metal layers. The SALs played a crucial role in reducing the elastic strain energy by generating nanotwins, coherent interfaces, and high-density dislocations during deformation, thereby improving the coatings' plastic deformation capability. Moreover, the implementation of dual-cycle SALs successfully reduced radial crack propagation, facilitating a transition from brittle fracture to a combined brittle-ductile fracture mechanism. This study highlights the critical role of metal/ceramic interfaces and SALs in improving the erosion resistance and co-deformability of TiAlN-based hard coatings. [Display omitted] •TiN-Ti-TiN stress-adsorbed layers were introduced to Ti/TiN/TiAlN coatings by cathodic arc ion plating•Macro-micro fracture behavior was addressed by mechanical properties and deformation.•Metal/ceramic interfaces enhanced the fracture toughness and erosion resistance of coatings.•Plastic flow of metallic layers dominated the yield strength of coatings.•Metal/ceramic co-deformation and brittle-tough deformation improved the plasticity and crack resistance of coatings.