Recent developments in magnetron-sputtered silicon nitride coatings of improved mechanical and tribological properties for extreme situations

Silicon nitride (Si 3 N 4 ) coatings are well known for extreme conditions (engine parts, turbine blades, etc.). Si 3 N 4 coatings offer excellent mechanical and tribological properties due to their high hardness, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, etc. The mechanical and tribological properties of a material greatly influence the performance, durability, and reliability of mechanical components. The Si 3 N 4 have tremendous applications in frictional materials (bushings and bearings), biomedical implants, microelectronics, etc. In the group of various coating synthesis methods, magnetron sputtering (MS) technique is a trending physical vapour deposition (PVD) technique. MS technique offers better results in terms of uniform thickness, low-temperature deposition, good adhesion with substrate compared to other deposition techniques. Therefore, this review provides a deep insight into the role of various sputtering parameters of MS on the advancement of silicon nitride coatings and TMN/Si 3 N 4 nanocomposite coatings for extreme conditions. Additionally, MN/Si 3 N 4 nanocomposite (Al–Si–N) coatings are also covered in this review due to their good combination of optical, mechanical and anti-oxidation properties, which made them potential candidate in optical industry. Finally, this review summarizes the best sputtering process parameters for Si 3 N 4 binary and nanocomposite coatings, their deposition challenges and potential breakthroughs for the advancements in this field. Graphical abstract