The influence of ductile interlayers on the mechanical performance of tungsten nitride coatings

Abstract

Multilayers between ceramic materials and metallic materials can combine the high hardness and wear resistance of the ceramic layers with the toughness and mechanical strength of the metallic layers. This work is aimed at the production and characterisation of tungsten nitride/titanium (or nickel) multilayers. The coatings, deposited by magnetron sputtering, are characterised with respect to their structure, morphology and hardness. The adhesion to the substrate is evaluated by a scratch-test technique, as it constitutes a fundamental pre-requisite.