Multiphase nanocomposite coatings (3-20 μm thick) consisting of nanocrystalline TiN, amorphous Si3N4, and amorphous and nanocrystalline TiSi2, nc-TiN/a-SiNx/a- and nc-TiSi2 were deposited on steel substrates by means of plasma CVD. The load-independent Vickers microhardness from 80 to > 105 GPa was measured by the load-depth sensing technique for applied loads between 30 and 200 mN and verified by measuring the size of the remaining plastic indentation using SEM. The results of a complex analysis provide a consistent picture of the nature of the grain boundaries which determines the hardness in the whole range of silicon content between approximately 3 and 22 at. «
Multiphase nanocomposite coatings (3-20 μm thick) consisting of nanocrystalline TiN, amorphous Si3N4, and amorphous and nanocrystalline TiSi2, nc-TiN/a-SiNx/a- and nc-TiSi2 were deposited on steel substrates by means of plasma CVD. The load-independent Vickers microhardness from 80 to > 105 GPa was measured by the load-depth sensing technique for applied loads between 30 and 200 mN and verified by measuring the size of the remaining plastic indentation using SEM. The results of a complex analysi... »