Structure and Properties of TiN–Pb Composite Coatings Deposited on VT6 Alloy Magneton Sputtering DC

Using the reactive DC magnetron sputtering of two separate single-element Ti and Pb targets, a TiN–Pb composite coating was deposited onto a substrate made of VT6 titanium alloy. The studies are carried out on currents on the Pb cathode of 0.2 and 0.1 A and two fixed values of the argon flow rate of 6.0 or 8.5 cm3/min, as well as the flow rate of nitrogen supplied to the chamber varying from experiment to experiment. The composition of the coatings is determined by energy dispersive analysis. It is shown that the amount of lead in the coatings ranges from 0.5 to 16%, depending on the current on the Pb cathode and reactive gas consumption N. The microhardness and wear of the coatings are determined for each deposition mode. Depending on the ratio of argon and nitrogen fluxes, the thickness of the coatings varies from 1.9 to 5.2 μm. The effect of the deposition parameters of magnetron TiN–Pb coatings on the structure and phase composition is investigated by the X-ray diffraction method. It is shown that, at a current value of 0.2 on the Pb cathode, the coating consists of Pb and PbO and, at a current of 0.1 A, it consists of TiN, Pb, and PbO, while an increase in the ratio of argon and nitrogen fluxes leads to an increase in the fraction of TiN, the intensity of surface saturation, titanium substrate with nitrogen, microhardness, and wear resistance. Under all deposition conditions, the TiN coating is characterized by a typical texture (111), the intensity of which varies nonmonotonically.