Thick graded interfaces increase wear resistance in Ti/TiN nanolayered thin films

Cheng, Justin Y. [Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States)] (ORCID:0000000223391142); Hamilton, Ashlie [Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States)]; Odlyzko, Michael [Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States)]; De Leo, Mauricio [Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States)] (ORCID:0000000223239757); Baldwin, J. Kevin [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT)]; Mara, Nathan A. [Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States)] (ORCID:0000000291354693)

doi:10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140653

DOE OSTI · 2911682

Thick graded interfaces increase wear resistance in Ti/TiN nanolayered thin films

Cheng, Justin Y. [Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States)] (ORCID:0000000223391142)·Hamilton, Ashlie [Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States)]·Odlyzko, Michael [Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States)]·De Leo, Mauricio [Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States)] (ORCID:0000000223239757)·Baldwin, J. Kevin [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT)]·Mara, Nathan A. [Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States)] (ORCID:0000000291354693)

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Abstract

Multilayered composites with nanoscale layer thickness incorporating titanium and titanium nitride (Ti/TiN) are used as a model system to study the effects of heterophase interface structure on elastic and plastic deformation, as well as wear behavior. Here, in this work, hardness, modulus, and wear rate under dry reciprocating sliding contact are quantified as a function of Ti-TiN heterophase interfacial nitrogen gradient thickness for Ti/TiN multilayers with 10–80 nm layer thickness. Hardness and modulus are found to be inversely proportional to layer thickness and independent of interface gradient for most specimens. Wear rate is found to be inversely proportional to interface gradient thickness at constant layer thickness, demonstrating that control of nanoscale interface structure is a valid approach to enhancing wear behavior. The materials studied in this work wear comparably or slower than other Ti- and TiN-based composites in the literature, providing a promising avenue for engineering wear-resistant materials for use in industrially relevant applications.

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Graded interfaces Multilayers Nanoindentation Nanowear Physical vapor deposition

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Cheng, Justin Y. [Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States)] (ORCID:0000000223391142), Hamilton, Ashlie [Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States)], Odlyzko, Michael [Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States)], De Leo, Mauricio [Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States)] (ORCID:0000000223239757), Baldwin, J. Kevin [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT)], Mara, Nathan A. [Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States)] (ORCID:0000000291354693). 2025-03-08. Thick graded interfaces increase wear resistance in Ti/TiN nanolayered thin films. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140653

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