TiAlN-based Coatings at High Pressures and Temperatures

TiAlN coatings with two different compositions were deposited on polycrystalline boron nitride substrates and then high pressure high temperature treated in a BELT press at constant 5.35 GPa and at 1050 and 1300 °C for different times.

For high pressure high temperature treated TiAlN it has been shown that the decomposition is slower at higher pressure compared to ambeint pressure and that no chemical interaction takes place between TiAlN and polycrystalline cubic boron nitride during the experiments. It is concluded that this film has the potential to protect a polycrystalline cubic boron nitride substrate during metal machining due to a high chemical integrity.

TiZrAlN coatings with different predicted driving forces for spinodal decomposition were furthermore annealed at different temperatures. For this material system it has been shown that for Zr-poor compositions the tendency for phase separation between ZrN and AlN is strong at elevated temperatures and that after spinodal decomposition stable TiZrN is formed.