Creation and Evaluation the Properties of TiN, TiAlN and TiAlON Coatings on Surface of D3 Steel Using Physical Vapor Deposition Technique Hard coatings mainly to enhance service life of tools, particularly cutting tools and machine components, as well as to achieve significantly favorable decorative properties also feature high resistance to corrosion in atmosphere, body fluid and some technologically used liquids. Despite of high hardness and wear resistance of TiN as a hard coating on tools and templates, it’s applications likehigh-speed machining in wet conditions have limitations. resence of oxygen in the coating prevents further oxidation, increase toughness and reduce probability of scaling. Aluminum content improves oxidation behavior, thermal stability and increases the hardness of coating. It is expected that advanced coatings such as TiAlN and TiAlON coatings provide better performance over simple nitrides. In this study, using a mosaic metal target, TiAlN and TiAlON coatings were deposited employing cathodic arc vapor deposition process. Wear, oxidation and corrosion behavior of these coatings in comparison with TiN coating was investigated. Optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy were used to study the microstructure, topography, morphology and thickness of the coatings. The phase analyses of coatings were performed by X-ray diffraction patterns. The chemical composition of coatings was evaluated by energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS). Hardness tests, oxidation tests at temperatures of 500, 600, 700 and 800 ° C, pin on disk wear tests and corrosion tests in 3.5 weight percent NaCl and 10 volume percent HCl solutions were also done. In addition, the effect of heat treatment on corrosion behavior of these coatings in 3.5 weight percent NaCl solution was evaluated. AFM results show that changing alloying elements can change structure and density of coating. Decreasing the nitrogen content of coating causes increase the surface roughness and decrease coating density while the presence of aluminum increases the hardness and thermal stability of titanium base nitride coatings. The presence of oxygen in the physical vapor deposition coatings causes the formation of amorphous oxide phases, reduce stiffness and increase thermal stability of the coatings. Results of wear tests showed a better wear behavior of TiAlN coatings in comparison with other ones. After 500 m wear, under normal load of 6 N, TiAlN coating had minimum friction coefficient and lowest increase in wear width. canning electron microscopy tests revealed different wear mechanisms on the surface of the test specimens.
