Work

The Effect of HiPIMS Pulse Conditions on the Microstructural, Mechanical, and Tribological Properties of TiB2 Coatings on Steel Substrates

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This study examines the impact of varying pulse conditions on the properties of titanium diboride (TiB2) coatings deposited by high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS). The coatings were prepared on steel substrates using an industrial-scale system. During the experiments, the HiPIMS frequency and pulse width were systematically varied to examine their influence on the coating’s microstructural, mechanical, and tribological properties. The obtained results show a correlation between process parameters and coating performance. A maximum hardness of 39.7 GPa and a coefficient of friction (CoF) as low as 0.68 were achieved. The best combination of mechanical properties was observed for coatings prepared in a frequency range of 600–1000 Hz and with a pulse width of 50 µs. Notably, the optimal tribological properties and surface roughness were obtained at 800 Hz and a 50 µs pulse width. This work demonstrates that fine-tuning HiPIMS pulse conditions is crucial for achieving high-quality TiB2 coatings with enhanced functional performance.

Source: Materials

DOI: 10.3390/ma18204699