TiAlSiN coatings were deposited on YT 15 cemented carbide substrate by reactive direct\ncurrent magnetron sputtering (DCMS) in a Plasma Immersion Ion Implantation and Deposition\n(PIII&D) system. The pre-implantation step and the coating deposition were carried out in the same\nexperimental facility. In this article the effects of pre-implantation of several different elements (N, C,\nand O) were investigated. The adhesion strength, hardness, micro-structure, element concentration,\ndepth profile, and the formation of coatings after the PIII experiments were characterized by a wide\nvariety of techniques such as Rockwell indentation, scratch test, nano-indentation measurement, X-ray\ndiffraction, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and Auger electron spectroscopy. The results showed that\nthe adhesive strength of TiAlSiN coatings was significantly improved on samples pre-implanted with\nN and O whereas only slightly improved with pre-implantation of C. Additionally, the microstructure\nand mechanical properties of the TiAlSiN coatings were also altered through pre-implantation.\nThe improved adhesion could be explained by the grain refinement and surface energy enhancement\nof the substrate by pre-implantation.
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