Characterization of Thin Chromium Coatings Produced by PVD Sputtering for Optical Applications
Source abstract
Abstract
PVD (physical vapor deposition) and CVD (chemical vapor deposition) have gained greater significance in the last two decades with the mandatory shift from electrodeposition processes to clean deposition processes due to environmental, public safety, and health concerns. Due to the frequent use of coatings in several industrial sectors, the importance of studying the chromium coating processes through PVD–sputtering can be realized, investing in a real alternative to electroplated hexavalent chromium, usually denominated by chromium 6, regularly applied in electrodeposition processes of optical products in the automotive industry. At an early stage, experimental tests were carried out to understand which parameters are most suitable for obtaining chromium coatings with optical properties. To study the coating in a broad way, thickness and roughness analysis of the coatings obtained using SEM and AFM, adhesion analyzes with the scratch-test and transmittance by spectrophotometry were carried out. It was possible to determine that the roughness and transmittance decreased with the increase in the number of layers, the thickness of the coating increased linearly, and the adhesion and resistance to climatic tests remained positive throughout the study. Thus, this study allows for the understanding that thin multilayered Cr coatings can be applied successfully to polymeric substrates regarding optical applications in the automotive industry.
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Research context
OpenAlex topics: Metal and Thin Film Mechanics · Copper Interconnects and Reliability · High-Temperature Coating Behaviors
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
School of Engineering, Polytechnic of Porto, Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 431, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
INEGI—Instituto de Ciência e Inovação em Engenharia Mecânica e Engenharia Industrial, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 400, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
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