Thermal Stability Of Wc Coatings Produced By Dc Magnetron Sputtering

In this work, the behavior of WC coatings deposited onto 304 austenitic stainless steel substrates by non- reactive DC magnetron sputtering was studied. The coatings were subjected to thermal treatment at 200, 400, 600 and 800 degrees C. The cubic phase W C1-x was identified in coatings treated up to 400 degrees C by X-ray diffraction, showing a decrease in the lattice constant and crystal size, and an increase in the microstrain. Using scanning electron microscopy, morphological changes induced by the oxidation of the coatings were observed above 600 degrees C. Employing scanning probe microscopy in atomic force microscopy mode, an homogenous granular grown on the surface coatings at room temperature and a decrease in the average grain size for coatings thermally treated at 200 and 400 degrees C were observed.