Impact of Si on the high-temperature oxidation of AlCr(Si)N coatings

The resistance of wear protective coatings against oxidation is crucial for their use at high temperatures.Here,three nanocomposite AlCr(Si)N coatings with a fixed Al/Cr atomic ratio of 70/30 and a varying Si-content of 0 at.%,2.5 at.% and 5 at.% were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry,thermogravimetric analysis and X-ray in order to understand the oxidation behavior depending on their Si-content.Additionally,a partially oxidized AlCrSiN coating with 5 at.%Si on a sapphire substrate was studied across the coating thickness by depth-resolved cross-sectional X-ray nanodiffraction and scanning trans-mission electron microscopy to investigate the elemental composition,morphology,phases and residual stress evolution of the oxide scale and the non-oxidized coating underneath.The results reveal enhanced oxidation properties of the AlCr(Si)N coatings with increasing Si-content,as demonstrated by a retarded onset of oxidation to higher temperatures from 1100℃ for AlCrN to 1260℃ for the Si-containing coatings and a simultaneous deceleration of the oxidation process.After annealing of the AlCrSiN sample with5 at.%Si at an extraordinary high temperature of 1400℃ for 60 min in ambient air,three zones developed throughout the coating strongly differing in their composition and structure:(i)a dense oxide layer comprising an Al-rich and a Cr-rich zone formed at the very top,followed by(ii)a fine-grained transition zone with incomplete oxidation and(iii)a non-oxidized zone with a porous structure.The varying elemental composition of these zones is furthermore accompanied by micro-structural variations and a complex residual stress development revealed by cross-sectional X-ray nanodiffraction.The results provide a deeper understanding of the oxidation behavior of AlCr(Si)N coatings depending on their Si-content and the associated elemental,microstructural and residual stress evolution during high-temperature oxidation.