STRUCTURE AND PROPERTIES OF Sn[O.sub.2]-[In.sub.2][O.sub.3]-Ag-N COATINGS FORMED BY A COMPLEX METHOD ON COPPER

The aim of this work is to analyze the structure and properties of a coating of the Sn[O.sub.2]- [In.sub.2][O.sub.3]-Ag-N composition formed on copper by a complex method combining electroexplosive spraying, irradiation with a pulsed electron beam, followed by nitriding in the plasma of a low-pressure gas discharge. It is shown that the thickness of the coating is [approximately equal to] 100 [micro]m. The wear resistance of a coated copper specimen exceeds that of uncoated copper by a factor of 2.8. The friction coefficient of the coated specimens is [micro] = 0.479, which is a factor of 1.4 lower than that of uncoated copper [micro] = 0.679 [+ or -] 0.048. It is found out that hardness of the coating increases closer to the substrate and reaches a maximum value of [approximately equal to] 1400 [+ or -] 98 MPa (the substrate hardness is 1270 MPa). According to the micro X-ray spectral analysis, the main chemical element of the coating is silver; copper, tin, indium, oxygen and nitrogen are present in much smaller amounts. It is revealed by the XRD analysis that the main phases of the coating are copper- and silver-based solid solutions. Keywords: coating, complex method, electroexplosive spraying, nitriding, pulsed electron beam, structure, properties.