Influence of silicon on the microstructure and the chemical properties of nanostructured ZrN-Si coatings deposited by means of pulsed-DC reactive magnetron sputtering

摘要: Abstract Transition metal nitride coatings have been widely used in various industrial applications due to their physical and chemical properties. For instance, they as protective against wear corrosion. Among the large family of coatings, zirconium (ZrN) has extensively studied order determine its suitability for different applications, fact that ZrN shown better corrosion resistance, lower resistivity, higher mechanical properties than titanium (TiN) coatings. In this investigation, with silicon (Si) contents were deposited by means pulsed-DC reactive magnetron sputtering, influence Si content on composition, state elements, microstructure, optical electrochemical was using energy-disperse spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray photoelectron (XPS), diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission (HR-TEM), atomic force (AFM), UV–vis-IR spectrophotometry, a Gamry 600 potentiostat at room temperature. The results showed are nanostructured fcc structure, polycrystalline, mixture columnar grained morphology. incorporation causes decrease coating's crystallinity, characterized intensity broadening XRD peak, attaining amorphous-like behavior increases. morphology cross-sectional tends featureless arrangement, coherent grain refinement is generated incorporation. XPS show presence oxygen surface generating phases ZrN, ZrON ZrO2. addition promotes formation transparent SiNx phase, while Si, resistance substrate improves.