Mechanical and Tribological Properties of CrWN/MoN Nano-Multilayer Coatings Deposited by Cathodic Arc Ion Plating

CrWN/MoN nano-multilayer coatings were deposited in pure N2 by multi-arc ion plating using CrW and Mo targets, with the cathode co-controlled by a permanent magnet combined with an electromagnet. The effects of the thickness modulation period on the microstructure and mechanical and tribological performance were systematically analyzed by grazing-incident X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Nanoindentation, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and profilometry using a Talysurf profilometer. The local coherent interfaces and nanoscale modulation period were confirmed by TEM, while the coatings were confirmed to be composed of fcc-CrWN and hexagonal δ-MoN by GIXRD. With the increase in the modulation period, the hardness of the CrWN/MoN nano-multilayer coatings decreased, and the values of the H/E ratio and friction coefficient showed the same variation trend. At an 8.0 nm modulation period, the CrWN/MoN nano-multilayer coating showed the maximum hardness (30.2 GPa), the lowest H/E value (0.082) and an H3/E*2 value of 0.16. With the decrease in the modulation period, the average friction coefficient of the CrWN/MoN nano-multilayer coatings gradually decreased from 0.45 to 0.29, while the wear rate decreased from 4.2 × 10−7 mm3/Nm to 3.3 × 10−7 mm3/Nm.