Comparison of wear behavior of PVD deposited AlCrN and TiAlN coatings on AISI 4140 steel

Abstract

Physical Vapor Deposited ceramic coatings have several applications in metal cutting and forming industries, among others, since they extend the useful life of the tools. The addition of aluminum to TiN and CrN coatings improves their thermal stability and tribological properties. In this work, the adhesion and resistance to sliding and abrasive wear of AlCrN and TiAlN coatings deposited on hardened and tempered AISI 4140 steel are studied. The AlCrN coating exhibited better adhesion, lower friction coefficient and higher abrasive and sliding wear resistance than TiAlN, the first being a good option to protect steel parts in severe working conditions.