Comparison of AlCrN and AlCrTiSiN coatings deposited on the surface of plasma nitrocarburized high carbon steels

•The duplex coatings were produced by combination of nitrocarburizing and multi-arc ion plating.•The γ′-phase plays the nucleation sites for the coating nitrides.•The compound layers (CL) considerably enhance mechanical and tribological properties of the duplex PVD coatings.•The main wear mechanisms of the PVD coatings with and without CL are oxidation wear, the combination of spalling, chipping and oxidation wear, respectively. The AlCrN and AlCrTiSiN coatings were produced on the surface of plasma nitrocarburized T10 steels by multi-arc ion plating. The comparison of the microstructures and mechanical properties of the duplex coatings were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction, optical microscope, scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope, in association with mechanical property measurement. The results show that the AlCrN coatings with columnar grown are mainly composed of nanocrytalline fcc-(Cr,Al)N phases with {111} preferred orientation, whereas the superlattice and nanocomposite AlCrTiSiN coatings with planar growth mainly consist of nanocrystalline fcc-(Cr,Al)N phases with {100} perfected orientation, hcp-AlN and Si3N4 amorphous phases. The AlCrTiSiN duplex coating with the compound layer reveals higher hardness, adhesion strength, load capacity and lower friction coefficient when compared with the other duplex coatings, which is due to its superlattice and nanocomposite structure. Additionally, these improved properties are related to the appearance of the γ′-phase which plays the nucleation sites for the coating nitrides and provides a strong supporting effect for the AlCrN and AlCrTiSiN coatings. The main wear mechanism of the duplex coatings without compound layer is spalling and chipping wear as well as tribooxidation wear, whereas the main wear mechanism of the duplex coatings with compound layer is tribooxidation wear.