Influence of Nitrogen and Hydrogen Addition on Composition, Morphology, Adhesion, and Wear Resistance of Amorphous Carbon Coatings Produced by RFCVD Method on Surface-Hardened Ultra-Fine Grained Bainitic 30HGSNA Steel
Source abstract
Abstract
Ultra-fine-grained bainitic (UFGB) steels offer excellent mechanical properties, which can be further improved by applying diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings. However, poor adhesion between the coating and substrate remains a key limitation. Since the steel’s microstructure degrades at high temperatures, enhancing adhesion without heating the substrate is essential. This study investigates surface hardening combined with simultaneous nitrogen and hydrogen doping during the Radio Frequency Chemical Vapor Deposition (RFCVD) process to improve coating performance. Varying gas compositions were tested to assess their effects on coating properties. Nitrogen incorporation decreased hardness from 12 GPa to 9 GPa but improved adhesion, while hydrogen limited damage after coating failure. Optimizing the gas mixture led to enhanced adhesion and wear resistance. Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses confirmed that the optimized coatings had the highest sp3 bond content and elevated nitrogen levels. While both hardness and adhesion contributed to wear resistance, no direct link to coating thickness was found. Overall, co-doping with nitrogen and hydrogen is an effective approach to improve adhesion and wear resistance without requiring high processing temperatures or complex equipment.
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Research context
OpenAlex topics: Diamond and Carbon-based Materials Research · Metal and Thin Film Mechanics · Tribology and Wear Analysis
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Woloska 141, 02-507 Warsaw, Poland
Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
Łukasiewicz Research Network, Upper Silesian Institute of Technology, K. Miarki 12-14, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland
Faculty of Mining and Geology, Silesian University of Technology, Akademicka 2A, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland
Funding
The National Centre for Research and Development of Poland
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