Preparation and tribocorrosion performance of CrCN coatings in artificial seawater on different substrates with different bias voltages

Abstract The CrCN coatings have been prepared by multi-arc ion plating technology with different bias voltages on 316 L, TC4 and H65 substrates, respectively. The prepared CrCN coatings have been characterized by XRD, SEM, and EDS, respectively. The mechanical properties, electrochemical corrosion behavior, and tribological performance of prepared coatings were tested by microhardness tester, scratch tester, electrochemical workstation, and friction and wear tester, respectively. Results show that the CrCN coatings with bias voltage of −50 V presented the finer grain size, denser structure, better comprehensive mechanical properties and friction, and better corrosion resistance than the CrCN coatings with a bias voltage of −30 V. The coating on TC4 substrate show the lower hardness, the better adhesion, the better electrochemical properties and tribological properties than that on 316 L substrate. The coatings based on H65 Cu substrate presented the worst electrochemical and wear properties. The CrCN coating with a bias voltage of −50 V on TC4 substrate is an optimal candidate in artificial seawater for tribocorrosion.