Oxygen-driven shell-like microstructure: a pathway to high-performance PVD Cr coatings for metal protection
Abstract Chromium (Cr) coatings, known for their corrosion resistance and luster, often suffer from coarse columnar grains when fabricated by physical vapor deposition (PVD), limiting their performance. This study employs high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) with oxygen doping (8.3 at.%)...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-05-01
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| Series: | npj Materials Degradation |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41529-025-00591-w |
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| Summary: | Abstract Chromium (Cr) coatings, known for their corrosion resistance and luster, often suffer from coarse columnar grains when fabricated by physical vapor deposition (PVD), limiting their performance. This study employs high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) with oxygen doping (8.3 at.%) to enhance Cr coatings on 316 L stainless steel. The optimized coating exhibits a unique shell-like microstructure, increasing hardness by 55% and improving crack resistance. Oxygen doping also reduces corrosion current density by over an order of magnitude, forming a continuous, low-defect amorphous passivation film for superior corrosion protection. This approach offers a simple yet effective strategy to advance Cr coating performance for industrial applications. |
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| ISSN: | 2397-2106 |