Effect of nitrogen flow rate on the thermal stability and wear resistance of (AlCrTiZrSi)N_x high-entropy nitride coatings

This research focused on enhancing the thermal and mechanical stability of (AlCrTiZrSi)N_x high-entropy nitride coatings through controlled nitrogen flow during magnetron sputtering. High-temperature annealing revealed that lower nitrogen coatings (N0, N5) increased in oxygen content and became porous, leading to reduced hardness due to oxide precipitation. In contrast, the high-nitrogen N10 coating maintained its FCC structure and hardness, increasing by 10 GPa after annealing at 800 °C due to optimal grain growth and stress relief. The N10 coating forms a transfer film during friction, reducing the coefficient of friction by 0.2 and the wear rate by 90 %. These results indicate a promising approach to developing coatings with superior thermal stability and wear resistance.