Synthesis of nanocrystalline titanium nitride coatings from the plasma of a composite-cathode arc discharge

TL;DR

This paper reports on the synthesis and structural analysis of nanocrystalline titanium nitride coatings doped with copper, produced via plasma-assisted vacuum arc deposition, and proposes a model explaining their nanostructurization process.

Contribution

It introduces a new model for nanostructurization in titanium nitride coatings doped with copper, based on the role of dopant atoms forming an amorphous sheath.

Findings

Nanocrystalline titanium nitride coatings were successfully produced.

Dopant atoms influence the nanostructure by forming an amorphous sheath.

A model explaining the nanostructurization process was proposed.

Abstract

Experimental data are given on the structure and properties of nanocrystalline hardening coatings of titanium nitride doped with copper, produced by plasma-assisted vacuum arc deposition by evaporating powder cathodes. A model of nanostructurization of this type of coatings is proposed. According to the model, the nanocrystallization in these materials is due to the dopant atoms, which form an amorphous sheath around a crystallite, thus defining its size.