Effect of Power on Structural and Mechanical Properties of DC Magnetron Sputtered Cr Coatings

Cr coatings were deposited on the surface of PCrNi1MoA steel by DC magnetron sputtering. The effects of power (100 similar to 250 W) on the structure and mechanical properties of the coating were systematically studied. The results show that all Cr coatings have strong (110) preferred orientation and anisotropic surface morphology, and the cross sections are columnar structures. With the increase in power, the deposition rate increases linearly, the surface roughness and grain size increase gradually, and the nanomechanical properties decrease first and then increase slightly. At 100 W, the columnar grain of the coating is compact and continuous, and the wear resistance and plastic deformation resistance are the best, with the highest binding force of 27.04 N. At 200 W, due to grain growth and tensile stress, internal defects increase, and mechanical properties are poor. The combination of coating and substrates is not tight enough, and it is easy to fall off and fail under the action of external force. When the power reaches 250 W, the higher bombardment rate helps the coating release stress, and reduce porosity.