Abstract
Due to the increased demands on tools used in extreme operating conditions, protective coatings are widely used to extend the service life of tools. This work examines the physical principles of obtaining MeN coatings (Me = Zr, Cr, Mo, Nb) of multilayer nanocomposites based on WN, as well as the effect on the microstructure, phase composition, as well as mechanical and tribological properties. Multilayer WN/MoN coatings are a new field of application, and cathodic arc physical vapor deposition (CA-PVD) is used for the first time to produce these coatings. In addition, first-principles calculations are performed to better understand the properties of the deposited multilayers. Two coating microstructures with different lattice types are observed: (i) face-centered cubic and (ii) a combination of hexagonal and fcc. Among the systems studied, WN/NbN exhibits superior properties, including the lowest specific wear rate (1.7 × 10-6 mm3/Nm), highhardness, and a remarkable ductility index. The excellent tribological performance can be attributed to factors such as low surface roughness, high elastic strain before failure, formation of Nb2O5 and WO3 tribofilms during sliding, ductile behavior of NbN, and nanocomposite structure.