Study of oxidation and wear behaviors of the Ti-based thin films using Raman spectroscopy

Abstract

Wear and thermal oxidation behaviors of d c magnetron sputtered Ti-based thin films, TiN, TiCN (N rich), TiCN (C rich), TiAlN(Ti rich), AlTiN(Al rich),TiSiN and TiCNO were studied using Raman spectroscopy. The oxide surfaces after the static oxidation test and wear debris generated from pin-on-disc wear test with alumina ball were then characterized using Raman spectroscopy to identify compounds, especially oxides, generated during the wear process to gain a better understanding of tribochemical reactions. The results show that TiCN films have lowest friction and wear resistance and AlTiN and TiAIN films have highest thermal resistance. Contact temperatures were also estimated by comparison of the tribochemical products generated during sliding wear with the formation temperatures of oxides detected from static oxidation.