Abstract
This scientific article investigates the structure and surface properties of Ti-Au-based thin coatings obtained by the PVD (magnetron sputtering) method in a vacuum environment at a high temperature of 450°C under direct current (DC) and radio frequency (RF) modes. The thin coatings deposited using the NanoPVD system had an average thickness of about 1 µm. Experimental studies showed that the chemical composition, microstructure, and properties of the coatings are closely dependent on the technological parameters of the magnetron sputtering process. The effect of Ag and Cu additions on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the Ti-Au coatings was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The surface roughness characteristics of the coatings were analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM), and nanoindentation and tribological tests were carried out to comprehensively evaluate the changes in their properties. It was shown that the modification of the Ti6Al4V substrate surface by the PVD method increases its wear resistance and reduces the coefficient of friction. X-ray phase analysis results revealed that the improvement in the tribological properties of the obtained thin coatings is directly related to the formation of the primary Ti3Au phase and the increase in its content.